The hippo house underwent a process of major reconstruction, which not only completely changed the visual design of the facility, but especially contributed to a drastic reduction in water and energy demand.
The Common hippopotamus (Hippotamus amphibius) spends up to 18 hours a day in the water. They call out in a rather striking grunt. Recently, they were found to be able to vocalise and hear sounds even under water. They usually come out of water just for food when darkness falls. Not very demanding creatures, they will eat grass of even very poor quality (40-60 kg per day). Our hippos have never been weighed, but there is evidence that males can weigh up to 2 tonnes.
In 2004, the hippopotamus became the foremost species at the Ostrava Zoo, replacing the Eurasian lynx in the zoo's logo, which had been the symbol since 1970. In fact, the lynx is visible in the emblems of several other organisations. The former logo related to previous activities, when the zoo played a significant role in reintroducing the lynx back into the wild from 1970-1992. In order to avoid any confusion, the new logo was created. The hippo was selected because Ostrava and Prague remain the only zoos in the country to hold the species, so this animal typifies our stock of animals.
In 2006, the team at Ostrava Zoo was given the task to compile and publish the European Studbook (ESB) for the common hippopotamus, As a result, this listing of all hippos held in zoos throughout Europe, including ancestors, has been released annually since the year 2007.