'Timay' the hippo moved to Solo

'Timay' the hippo moved to Solo

In a two-ton cage on board a truck, seven-year-old Timay has
started his 12-hour journey on Wednesday from his home in Taman
Safari Indonesia in Bogor to Satwa Taru Jurug zoo in Surakarta,
Central Java.

The male hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), which weighs
three and a half tons, is being sent to the zoo which is
developing the breeding of protected animals outside their
original habitat.

"Moreover, it's part of our cooperation as fellow members of
the Association of Indonesian Zoos," Taman Safari spokesman
Yulius said on Thursday.

He explained that a lot of preparations had been made before
sending Timay away. "For three months we trained him to get into
and out of the cage by himself under the close supervision of a
veterinarian and keeper."

Timay was born on May 3, 1998, to Dolly and Robert. Currently,
Taman Safari has 26 hippopotamuses, including three babies,
Yulius added. -- JP