Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
After 23 years at the DZCA, Mahali is preparing to move to a nature wildlife preserve in Texas. The zoo first announced his departure in July 2025. That August, the zoo’s animal care staff began training him to enter a large crate and remain calm throughout the transport process.
The zoo thought Mahali would be ready to move in mid-May, but he got spooked by the process of closing the crate, which delayed his progress. Mahali is goofy, stubborn and though resilient, can be a bit of a scaredy-hippo, said Maura Davis, DZCA’s curator of large mammals. One time, a goose landed in his habitat and Mahali ran into the pool to get away from it, she said.
Produced by Adrian O'Farrill and Carly Rose
Read the complete story here: rmpbs.org/news/science-environment/denver-zoo-hippo-mahali-delayed-move
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After 23 years at the DZCA, Mahali is preparing to move to a nature wildlife preserve in Texas. The zoo first announced his departure in July 2025. That August, the zoo’s animal care staff began training him to enter a large crate and remain calm throughout the transport process.
The zoo thought Mahali would be ready to move in mid-May, but he got spooked by the process of closing the crate, which delayed his progress. Mahali is goofy, stubborn and though resilient, can be a bit of a scaredy-hippo, said Maura Davis, DZCA’s curator of large mammals. One time, a goose landed in his habitat and Mahali ran into the pool to get away from it, she said.
Produced by Adrian O'Farrill and Carly Rose
Read the complete story here: rmpbs.org/news/science-environment/denver-zoo-hippo-mahali-delayed-move
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: bit.ly/3zeF6Ch
------------------------------------------------------
Follow Rocky Mountain PBS on our other platforms, too.
• Newsletter: rmpbs.org/newsletters
• Facebook: facebook.com/rmpbs
• Instagram: instagram.com/rmpbs
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/rocky-mountain-pbs
