I recently had a very close encounter with two very fiesty and sassy Hippopotamus amphibius…and also actual hippos, not just my forever starving children. It was a sleepy Sunday morning, but my children woke up wide-eyed with wonder, knowing they were about to experience a behind-the-scenes tour of the San Antonio Zoo. As members of the Zoo Troop, it’s true that they are often lucky enough to attend fun events, but this opportunity to interact with animals behind the curtain, so to speak, is actually available to the public as well! We simply checked in at the Information Desk, walked over to a side entrance for the hippo exhibit, and were introduced to Animal Keeper Esther who would be our guide for the morning.
As Esther walked us through the water pump area, indoor baths and scales for the hippos, Cora and Issa peppered her with questions and took a guess at how much a hippo weighs: 20 pounds. SO CLOSE. 🙂 Up until this point the girls had been very brave and really seemed purely excited to visit with some hippos, but as we rounded the corner to their outdoor exhibit Issa began to clutch at my leg. Not a completely irrational reaction, since there were suddenly two massive hippos waiting behind steel bars, anxiously anticipating their morning snack! Cora surprised me a bit by being the brave one, stepping right up to the plate to toss giant alfalfa cubes and other tasty treats into the waiting jaws of Timothy and Uma, the San Antonio Zoo’s grandson/grandmother duo that has captured the hearts of San Antonians for several months now.
You may also recall Timothy sending love letters to the Cincinatti Zoo’s female hippo Fiona, but Timothy was moot on the subject when I asked him about their relationship status. Uma seemed entirely preoccupied with the snacks, mashing them up with her humongous tusks and molars, which Esther told us many hippos in the wild are hunted for. She also told us hippos are extremely territorial, so the zoo staff never goes behind the metal bars for their own safety. Another surprising fun fact? Hippos can’t actually swim. If you notice the next time you visit their exhibit, they simply float to the bottom, push off with their feet, and bob around rather than truly swim.
Being in such close quarters with two live hippos, we also had the opportunity to see their “blood sweat”, which sounds horrific, but is actually a very cool (literally) way for hippos to “sweat”, creating a layer of mucous that is reddish in color and protects them from the sun, bacteria, and dehydration! Crazy, right?! All in all we had about 30 minutes to chat with Esther and get to know Uma and Timothy, and the girls peppered Esther with questions big and small, all of which she was happy to answer with an obvious love for the animals she cares for every day. I would highly recommend booking this experience for your family the next time you pay the San Antonio Zoo a visit, and keep in mind there are lots of other animals in addition to hippos that offer one-on-one experiences! I’ve heard the the Tortoise behind the scenes is great, and they act just like puppies! Rhinos would also be very cool, and what a cool Christmas gift these experiences would make!
If your child has a favorite animal at the zoo, I would definitely take a look to see if you can make their year with a behind the scenes look at the San Antonio Zoo. These are the moments your family will treasure for years to come; I know we will!
XO,
A
P.S. This post is part of our partnership with the San Antonio Zoo as a member of their Zoo Troop for bloggers and local influencers! Don’t worry though, all opinions are my own!
