A newborn hippo found nudging its dead mother at a lake in Kenya has been rescued and is now being hand-raised by wildlife keepers, authorities and conservationists said.
The calf, named Bumpy, was only a few days old when it was discovered over the weekend, according to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which is now caring for the animal.
Kenya’s Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said its team faced significant challenges during the rescue, as the calf refused to leave its mother’s body. Officials described the operation as a “logistical challenge,” adding they were forced to use the decomposing carcass as an anchor point to safely reach and retrieve the young hippo.
KWS said the mother likely died of natural causes, though conservationists noted she may have been killed during a territorial confrontation — a common risk in hippo groups, where infanticide can occur.
After the rescue, Bumpy was taken to a nursery in Nairobi, where he was fed milk and kept warm under blankets during his first night in care.
He was later airlifted to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s Kaluku facility near Tsavo East National Park, where keepers will raise him until he is ready to return to the wild.
Caretakers say the calf has shown a strong need for physical closeness since arrival.
“He spends much of the day in the water, but never alone,” the trust said, noting that a keeper remains constantly by his side, both in and out of the pool.
The young hippo has also developed a habit of resting against his caretakers, appearing most comfortable when in close contact.
Bumpy is currently being kept separate from another young hippo at the sanctuary, which is nearly a year old. Both animals are expected to be released back into the wild once they are mature enough to survive independently.
In natural conditions, hippo calves nurse for up to a year and maintain a close bond with their mothers for several years, wildlife experts say.
Founded in 1977, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is best known for rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants and rhinos, with the aim of reintroducing them to their natural habitats.