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Apr 2, 2009

"We are participants in a vast communion of being, and if we open ourselves to its guidance, we can learn anew how to live in this great and gracious community of truth." --Parker Palmer

The Tortoise & The Baby Hippo

It sounds like a fable or a fairy tale. The main characters are an orphaned baby hippopotamus, Owen, and a giant tortoise, Mzee. The hippo was rescued from a massive tsunami, and the tortoise had defied odds and had lived to be 130 years old. But the story of Owen and Mzee is absolutely true. As soon as Owen was released into the park, he immediately took cover with Mzee, and the two have become nearly inseparable. The animals are both the wards of Dr. Paula Kahumbu, Chief Environmentalist at Haller Park in Kenya. "Owen and Mzee continue to spend their days together in the pond, feeding and patrolling. Owen nudges Mzee to come for walks, and Mzee sometimes even follows Owen." This NPR story shares further.