A Tsunami Left a Baby Hippo All Alone. At the Wildlife Park, He Ran Straight to a 130-Year-Old Tortoise

In late December 2004, near the town of Malindi, Kenya, a young hippo was swept down the Sabaki River and out into the Indian Ocean.

Then, on December 26, the great tsunami reached the coast of Africa. The little hippo survived the waves, but he ended up alone and stranded on the coral reef.

Rescuers worked to catch him in the surf, and in the end it took a rugby tackle. He was named Owen, after the man who tackled him.

Owen, who weighed about 300 kilos, was taken to Haller Park, a wildlife sanctuary near Mombasa. As soon as he entered his enclosure, he ran straight to the tortoise who lived there.

It was Mzee, an Aldabra giant tortoise believed to be about 130 years old. His name means “wise old man” in Swahili.

At first, Mzee didn’t seem too pleased. But within days, the two were eating and resting together. Before long, the old tortoise sometimes followed Owen on walks. And when Owen licked his neck, Mzee stretched it out for more.

“There’s just a strange kind of communication going on,” said Dr. Paula Kahumbu, who ran the park. “I don’t think we’ll ever be able to explain it.”

Their friendship became a children’s book, “Owen & Mzee,” and people around the world fell in love with them.

As Owen grew much bigger, the keepers gave him his own space with a female hippo named Cleo, and Mzee went back to his old home. In this video, one of their keepers at Haller Park tells their story.

Do you believe animals can make true friends? Share this with someone who needs a smile today.