Simon Darkshade
Mysterious City of Gold
Came across this interesting little story:
California officials seize man's pet hippo
May 25, 2002 Posted: 9:36 PM EDT (0136 GMT)
SAN DIEGO, California (Reuters) -- California fish and game officials are investigating a San Diego-area man who kept a rare 500-pound pygmy hippopotamus as a pet in his suburban backyard for at least a decade, a newspaper reported Saturday.
Surprised state officials seized the female hippo, believed to be 12 to 15 years old, from Arthur Stehly, a resident of Escondido, who has more than 100 animals living on his property, including emus, peacocks, geese, goats and ducks, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it," state game warden Zeke Awbrey told the newspaper. "No one expects to find a giant hippo living in someone's backyard."
The newspaper reported that officials were investigating Stehly for allegedly not having a permit to own a hippo. It said officials seized the animal in late January after a tip from a real estate agent showing a nearby home.
Neither the hippo's owner nor fish and game officials could be reached for comment.
The hippo is now at a local center for wild animals and would be shipped on June 1 to a refuge in Florida that houses other pygmy hippos, the newspaper said.
The animals, found along streams, forests and swamps in West Africa, number between 2,000 to 4,000 in the wild.
Neighbors in Escondido, about 30 miles from San Diego, said they had known about the hippo for years but had never seen it, the newspaper said.
"I know he used the hippo manure on his garden," said Bill Ritcher. "It can smell pretty dang bad."
All I can say is this: They are never going to take MY hippo away without a fight!!!
California officials seize man's pet hippo
May 25, 2002 Posted: 9:36 PM EDT (0136 GMT)
SAN DIEGO, California (Reuters) -- California fish and game officials are investigating a San Diego-area man who kept a rare 500-pound pygmy hippopotamus as a pet in his suburban backyard for at least a decade, a newspaper reported Saturday.
Surprised state officials seized the female hippo, believed to be 12 to 15 years old, from Arthur Stehly, a resident of Escondido, who has more than 100 animals living on his property, including emus, peacocks, geese, goats and ducks, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it," state game warden Zeke Awbrey told the newspaper. "No one expects to find a giant hippo living in someone's backyard."
The newspaper reported that officials were investigating Stehly for allegedly not having a permit to own a hippo. It said officials seized the animal in late January after a tip from a real estate agent showing a nearby home.
Neither the hippo's owner nor fish and game officials could be reached for comment.
The hippo is now at a local center for wild animals and would be shipped on June 1 to a refuge in Florida that houses other pygmy hippos, the newspaper said.
The animals, found along streams, forests and swamps in West Africa, number between 2,000 to 4,000 in the wild.
Neighbors in Escondido, about 30 miles from San Diego, said they had known about the hippo for years but had never seen it, the newspaper said.
"I know he used the hippo manure on his garden," said Bill Ritcher. "It can smell pretty dang bad."
All I can say is this: They are never going to take MY hippo away without a fight!!!
Perhaps most obvious, the man had not been harbouring the pygmy for years and years - he was merely providing it a place of shelter and grub as it made its way east for TF's birthday (my generosity will not go unnoticed). Secondly, this 'giant' hippo was dwarfian by Clan standards - at 240 kilos she was of no use to the herd at any task not coded 'Advanced Mongol Hoarde Alarm by Caterwauling'. Finally, the hippopotamade feces is renowned worldwide for its tantilizing fragrance. 'Tis vile slander to imply otherwise, and my stocks are sliding south because of those bigots at Reuters 
A certain Mongol and his pale horse may also warrant investigation.
