Fourways Hippo Twitter eaten

Photo: Crime Air Network / Twitter

Confirmed: The Fourways hippo, alive and well, has returned home

After surviving some fairly vicious Twitter rumours, it’s now been established that the Fourways hippo has been detected back in its natural habitat.

Fourways Hippo Twitter eaten

Photo: Crime Air Network / Twitter

All’s well that ends well! The Fourways hippo, which sparked panic and confusion earlier this month by roaming around Johannesburg’s urban jungle, has made its way home – after Twitter users were fearing the worst for the mammal.

Is the Fourways hippo alive? You bet…

On Sunday, rumours swirled that the Fourways hippo had been captured, killed, and eaten by locals. The grim allegation spread like wildfire, but has since been debunked – the picture used to support these claims originated from Kenya.

The hippo has been roaming free for about a month now. Other false alarms include a rumoured sighting in a private pool, and suggestions that the animal was being kept as a domestic pet. Earlier this week, the Gauteng Agricultural Department suggested that this curious creature was likely to have already gone back home to Hartbeespoort Dam.

Fourways hippo heads home

They were right. Using their tracking technology and working in conjunction with the Endangering Wildlife Trust, it was discovered that the Fourways hippo is now the ‘Hartbeespoort hippo’. After bringing the safari to the front door of locked-down Joburg residents, our wondering friend is now back in its natural habitat.

“The hippo that was spotted in Chartwell at the end of December is not missing. It has gone back to its original habitat -Hartbeespoort Dam – and this was discovered with the assistance of the technology used by Endangering Wildlife Trust (EWT). The Gauteng Agriculture Department and EWT are monitoring the movements of the hippo.”

Gauteng Agricultural Department

A happy ending indeed

Earlier on Monday, the EWT also confirmed that the Fourways hippo had left the inhabited areas of Johannesburg:

“The Hippo is suspected of having moved up the river system from the Hartebeespoort Dam area and, when water levels are high enough, it is not uncommon for hippos to cover great distances in their pursuit of food. This particular Hippo was sighted in the Chartwell area several times in December.”

“After that, it was seen moving back towards the Lanseria and Hartebeespoort area. There is, therefore, every expectation that the Hippo will move back in its own time, and in the meantime, the EWT is providing aerial monitoring support to the conservation authorities, to ensure the safety of the Hippo, and that of all the communities along its journey.”

EWT statement