'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