“A Miracle Friendship That Captivated the World: How an Orphaned Hippo and a Centuries-Old Tortoise Formed a Bond So Powerful It Still Feels Like a Movie Waiting to Be Made” h

A Baby Hippo Got Swept Away By A Tsunami And A 130-Year-Old Tortoise Became His Best Friend

In December 2004, a frightened young hippo, separated from his family by a devastating tsunami, bonded with an Aldabra tortoise named Mzee. The 130 year-old tortoise accepted Owen as his own, and an inseparable bond was forged.

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The unlikely pair remained best friends for several years. Eventually Mzee was moved to another enclosure as Owen grew up. Owen wasn’t alone though. A female hippo named Cleo joined him as a companion.