GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Tuesday, a pygmy hippo named Jahari attacked and killed its exhibit mate Chopper, a sitatunga, which is similar to an antelope.
It happened at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids during a controlled introduction of the two animals. Over the last month, the pair had multiple visual introductions, which went well.
The in-person meeting did not go as planned.
Wednesday, FOX 17 talked with highly regarded zoo science Michigan State University professor emeritus Dr. Richard Snider about the attack.
Snider’s main takeaway: zoo animals are, and always will be, difficult to predict behaviorally, even for experts like those at John Ball Zoo.
“These are always wild animals. They may act docile. But they're always wild; we have to remember that, and zoo people know that,” Dr. Snider said.
Snider points out that in Spain, a similar exhibit exists where sitatungas and pygmy hippos cohabitate without issue, and that zoo staffers with John Ball took their time and did everything right by introducing the two species before they physically met.
Snider says these types of attacks do happen, unfortunately. Pygmy hippos may attack when they feel cornered or if they feel their habitat is threatened.
John Ball Zoo has told FOX 17 they are deeply saddened by the news of the loss of Chopper.
Here's the full statement released by the zoo Tuesday night.
John Ball Zoo is deeply saddened to announce our male sitatunga, Chopper, died Tuesday. Chopper was slated to be part of our new multi-species habitat, featuring pygmy hippos. After successful visual introductions between Chopper and the pygmy hippo throughout the last month, trained animal care staff were attempting a controlled introduction of our pygmy hippo with Chopper inside their habitat when the pygmy hippo suddenly attacked Chopper. Zoo staff separated the animals immediately. Our animal care team provided emergency care, but efforts to resuscitate Chopper were unsuccessful. Consistent with our animal care protocols and procedures, a full review of the incident is underway. The Zoo has successfully introduced species many times, and our staff was thoroughly prepared for this introduction. This sad incident reminds us that despite enormous cautionary measures taken by Zoo staff over the last several weeks, the behavior of wild animals can be unpredictable. At John Ball Zoo, providing world-class care for our animals is our number one priority, and we are deeply saddened by the loss of Chopper, who was loved by all the staff that cared for him and who are today grieving this loss.
The new pygmy hippo exhibit is slated to open in just a few weeks.
READ MORE: John Ball Zoo pygmy hippo attacks, kills sitatunga ahead of exhibit opening
