Cascades claims the life of a hippo

MBOMBELA – Few people realise that the Lowveld National Botanical Garden is as much a haven for animals as it is for the plants it is famous for.
This was made clear over the past week when one of the animals roaming the garden at night found its last resting place below the Cascades.

Hippos are the largest animals visiting the gardens, and a dead bull was found below the Cascades last week.
Curator Taki Mamatsharaga said they were merely speculating about the cause of this bull’s death, but it could possibly have been involved in a fight with another male hippo, or chased from its group to find a new territory.
It is possible that it fell down the waterfall, since they usually live above the falls.
The hippopotamus’ carcass could weigh up to 2 000 kilograms, and the rocks in that area are slippery and covered with moss, making it impossible to salvage the carcass without the help of a helicopter.
“We hope for heavy rain, which should wash the carcass away,” Mamatsharaga said.
Staff members were welcomed by a crocodile behind their offices when they arrived at work on Monday morning.

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency was informed of its presence, and officials removed it to a safer habitat.

Earlier in the week the garden’s Facebook page also mentioned that the first vervet monkey infants of the season had been spotted with their mothers in the garden.