DENVER (AP) - A 58-year-old hippopotamus, the longest living resident of the Denver Zoo, has died after his advanced years deteriorated his health.
The Denver Post reports (https://dpo.st/1GLvAno ) that Bertie, or Bert, was the oldest hippo in accredited North American zoos. He was euthanized Monday.
A 2-year-old Bertie moved from New York City’s Central Park Zoo to become the Denver Zoo’s first hippo in 1958. He fathered 29 hippopotamuses in his life. The zoo has one other hippopotamus in residence, Bertie’s 12-year-old son Mahali.
Hippopotamuses live 30 to 40 years in the wild and usually up to 50 years in captivity.
A zoo spokesman tells the Post the body will be sent to Colorado State University for a necropsy.
Bertie’s bones will then be donated to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
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Information from: The Denver Post, https://www.denverpost.com
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