Elephants leave tracks in mud left behind by flooding as clean-up crews work to clean-up the Calgary Zoo in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, June 25, 2013. Heavy rains caused flooding, closed roads, and forced evacuations across Southern Alberta. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
June 25, 2013 - 10:52 AM
CALGARY - Calgary Zoo staff risked their lives over the weekend to stop a hippo from escaping into the swollen Bow River.
Director of animal care, conservation and research, Jack Veasey, says flood waters in the hippos' enclosure rose high enough during the floods for the dangerous herbivores to swim out.
One hippo named Lobi was feeling particularly adventurous and was moving freely around the African Savannah building.
Veasey had to break a window to get into the building and he swam in the muddy flood waters to find the animal.
Zoo staff used cinder blocks and construction equipment to block Lobi inside the building.
The zoo's giraffes were up to their bellies in water and have not been coping well with the cold and stress.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013