A hippo that became a bit of a celebrity in eastern Mexico has been caught after weeks on the run. Authorities have no idea how the hippo came to be in Mexico, a country where the giant creature isn't native.
Image: picture-alliance/AP/A. Serrano
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The journey of a stray hippopotamus that had been wandering the Mexican countryside for weeks finally came to an end on Wednesday, after it was apprehended by wildlife authorities.
The great northern hippo, known as Tyson, mysteriously appeared several weeks ago in a rural part of Las Choapas, in the eastern state of Veracruz, but hippos are not native to the country.
He was captured — much to the disappointment of locals — by Mexican environmental authority Profepa after a 10-day operation that involved tracking the hippo's every move.
Authorities lured the hippo into a cage using food as bait and no tranquilizers. He was then taken to the Citlaltepetl wildlife reserve in Orizaba, some 370 kilometers (230 miles) away, where he will remain "until his legal status is determined," Profepa said.
Tyson the hippo bathes in a swamp area of Veracruz in MexicoImage: picture-alliance/AP/A. Serrano
Lovable but deadly
Tyson — who weighs 600 kilograms and is believed to be about three years old — had become a loved member of the community, with locals flocking to take his picture, feed him and even pet him.
But Mexican environmental authority Profepa was concerned that all of the attention surrounding the hippo could result in tragedy.
Hippopotamuses are notoriously dangerous due to their aggressive and unpredictable nature, and they have been known to maul and even devour humans.
"Since this is an exotic species of African origin and its presence in the fields of the Las Choapas municipality posed a high risk to people and the ecosystem ... Profepa launched a special operation to relocate him to a secure site," Profepa said in a statement.
A lost pet?
It is not clear how Tyson came to be frolicking through the swampy area of southern Mexico, but locals speculated he that could have escaped from a drug baron's collection of exotic pets.
In Colombia, a herd of hippos once owned by drug lord Pablo Escobar has caused big problems for local authorities after they invaded the countryside near Escobar's former ranch.
Veracruz has a large port and is a much-disputed territory for Mexico's competing drug cartels.
Wild kissing
Kissing seems to be a uniquely human activity but some behavior in the animal kingdom comes pretty close. Here are just a few examples.
Image: picture-alliance/Anka Agency/G. Lacz
Gregarious cats
Most cats are loners. But lions and cheetahs are an exception. When they meet, the fast cats with the dotted fur sniff each other, groom one another, rub their cheeks (like the cheetahs pictured here) and lick each other's faces. Quite cuddly, aren't they?
There's no love lost between these guys. The elephants are actually trying to bump each other out of the way in a fight over who gets to drink from a water hole in water-starved South Africa.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/P. Espeel
Say hello to my little friend
It may look a lot like a lovers' tryst, but these marmots aren't kissing either. This is a friendly gesture, however. When they meet, marmots greet each other by putting their heads together and rubbing noses.
Image: picture-alliance/Mary Evans/S. Meyers
I'm a fighter, not a lover
These lip-locking gourami fish may look cute, but they are actually fighting. Nonetheless, this "kissing" behavior makes them a popular Valentine's Day gift in China.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Imaginechina
Scent of a...hare
Yep, no kissing here either. These hares just get close to sniff each other. Usually, hares are solitary or live in pairs and are quite shy. And fast! They can run as fast as 56 kilometers per hour (35 mph). Jackrabbits can dash even faster.
Personal scent is one of the most common reason for animals to stick their heads together. Case in point: the gray seal pictured here. Catching a whiff helps the animals identify each other.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/McPhoto
Biting?
These two orcas look more like they're biting than kissing. We don't know what happened after the photo was taken. Orcas don't attack each other in the wild, although there have been cases of biting and injuries in captivity. We can only hope that wasn't what happened here.
Image: picture-alliance/Anka Agency/G. Lacz
Just bill me
It's somewhat difficult for birds to kiss given their beaks. Instead, they touch or clasp bills. The behavior probably came from mouth-to-mouth feeding and can range from tender touches to violent clashes.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Lanting
Till death do us part
This looks like quite a passionate exchange and chances are that it is. Parrots are picky about their mates but once they've made up their minds, they stick together for the rest of their lives. Quite romantic, isn't it?
