As I wrote at the time in a story for i Love Dogs (that happened to be briefly featured in the âPit Bulls and Paroleesâ episode, âNew Orleans, Here We Comeâ), Kern County officials denied a request by Tia Torres, owner of the rescue and rehabilitation facility, to move VRC from Agua Dulce to Tehachapi, Calif.
Two hippo species are found in Africa. The large hippo, found in East Africa, occurs south of the Sahara. The other, much smaller (440 to 605 pounds) species of hippo is the pygmy hippopotamus. Limited to very restricted ranges in West Africa, it is a shy, solitary forest dweller and is now rare.
Today, the Zoo has a pair of pygmy hippos, Francesca and Elgon, along the Hippo Trail in the San Diego Zooâs Lost Forest. The two get along well, as long as Elgon remembers that Francesca is the boss. Francesca came from the zoo in Rome in 2000, and Elgon, born in a zoo in South Africa, arrived here in 2004.