Owen and Mzee
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Owen and Mzee are a hippopotamus and a tortoise, respectively, that became the subject of much media attention after forming a unique bond of friendship.[1]
A baby hippopotamus, Owen, was orphaned in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Kenya near Malindi during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on December 26, 2004. The baby hippo, weighing 600 pounds (270 kg), was rescued during a day long effort by nearly 1,000 villagers using shark nets. Owen's namesake is a villager named Owen Saubion, who finally tackled the hippo during the rescue.
Owen was taken to Haller Park, a restored limestone quarry near Mombasa owned by Lafarge Eco Systems' East African firm, Bamburi Cement. He was released into a large wooded penned-in area that included a pond and a co-inhabitant − a 700-pound (320 kg), 130-year-old Aldabran tortoise named Mzee (Swahili for "wise old man").
Owen immediately bonded to Mzee, who initially resisted Owen's overtures. Over time, the old tortoise came to accept the young hippo, who began to mimic his adoptive parent. Gradually, Mzee taught Owen, who was a nursing calf, what to eat and where to sleep.
In the first year, the two have become inseparable companions who eat, sleep, swim, and play together. They have surprised scientists with the strength of what appears to be a genuine bond, as well as a unique vocal communication that has developed between them.
Owen and Mzee have also become worldwide celebrities as a result of their astonishing behavior, captured on film and video primarily by BBC photographer Peter Greste. Two picture books, Owen and Mzee: The true story of a remarkable friendship and Owen & Mzee: Language Of Friendship, both published by Scholastic Press, and authored by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Paula Kahumbu were released in February 2006 and January 2007.
The first book hit the New York Times Best Seller list at No. 5 in its first month. In March 2006 it became the New York Times No. 1 best-selling picture book for three consecutive weeks and remained on the best seller-list for 42 weeks. In January 2007, both books were on the list. The first book has been translated into at least 18 languages, including French, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Catalan, German, Korean, Hebrew, Swahili and Braille.
There is a 30 minute free documentary available. Owen and Mzee are also the subject of children's musician Marla Lewis's song 'Will You Be My Mom?', released on her 2007 album 'I Love To Talk To Plants', as well as Judy Feeney's song 'Owen and Mzee,' released on her 2007 album 'The Ants' Dance.'
As of March 2007, Mzee was removed from the enclosure. A female hippopotamus named Cleo had been added to provide companionship for Owen. Due to Cleo's rough behavior with the other tortoises, a decision was made to remove the tortoises. This has resulted in Owen and Mzee living apart, but their friendship, that lasted for over two years, continues to inspire people from all over the world. Owen seems to be adapting to his new companion and it is possible that Owen and Cleo will have offspring when he reaches maturity.[2]
The success of Owen and Mzee has inspired the Hatkoff family to author other non-fiction works, also published by Scholastic, about the resilience of orphaned animals. These include, "Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World" [1] and "Looking for Miza: The True Story of the Mountain Gorilla Family That Rescued One of Their Own" [2]. Co-author Dr. Paula Kahumbu and photographer Peter Greste also collaborated with the Hatkoffs on "Looking for Miza".
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[edit] References
- ^ Odd couple make friends in Kenya, BBC, 2005-01-01, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4152447.stm, retrieved on 2008-06-10
- ^ http://www.lafargeecosystems.com/main/blog.php?m=3&y=2007
