Hippos and crocodiles

22januari2014
Source: safaripark.nl
From mid-2014 onward in Beekse Bergen Safari Park, visitors can admire not only the Big Five, but also the three largest animals from the African continent: the hippopotamus, the African elephant and the white rhinoceros.
Hippos are new to the Safari Park. A new enclosure is being built for these heavyweights, who will share it with crocodiles. Visitors should be able to see the animals while on their walking safari. The enclosure is being set up so that the animals are readily visible to the public yet can live as naturally as possible. The hippos will also be sharing their enclosure with Nile lechwes and sitatungas, two species of antelope that live near hippos in the wild as well.

Hippos can live as long as 50 years, and spend most of their time in the water. They eat grass and plants and look lazy and slow. In reality, however, hippos can run fast and are very territorial, making aggressive use of their enormous tusks. In Beekse Bergen, these potentially dangerous animals can be watched from a safe distance.

The Nile crocodiles are also a new species for the park. These are the largest of the four crocodile species in Africa, growing to more than 6 metres in length and weighing more than 700 kilograms. In the Safari Park, these crocodiles will have the heated indoor enclosure they need because they are cold-blooded. Crocodiles can lie very still, waiting for their prey to come along, and then strike, quick as lightning. Fortunately, the crocodiles at Beekse Bergen can be observed through a wall of glass.