On 25 May 1850, the first ‘modern’ hippopotamus arrived in London. We say ‘modern’, because it may be that hippopotami roamed free in the London area, back in the days of dinosaurs et al…

‘Obaysch’ was his name, and he caused quite a stir when he arrived in London, with numerous reports about the hippo’s capture, journey, dietary quirks and grand arrival, appearing in the newspapers of the day.  It seems that ‘Obaysch’ also often entertained royalty in his enclosure, as one does.

A quick search in the archive for ‘hippopotamus’ returns 100s of stories about ‘Obaysch’ and other hippopotamuses. So why not have a read of some of these articles, and learn how celebrity hippopotami were received when they first arrived in the UK?

Headline: ‘Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park – The Hippopotamus’

Source: Northampton Mercury – Saturday 08 June 1850

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URL: http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000317/18500608/005/0002?_=1337946224371