Visakhapatnam: Dalapathi, the hippopotamus that died at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park here on Saturday, was found to have a cricket ball, coins and stones blocking his stomach. Dalapathi was going to be a father for the second time; his mate Padma is due to deliver in December and so she is not on display for visitors. Dalapathi, was transferred from the Hyderabad Nehru Zoological Park in 2010, was only 17. Hippos can live to be 40-50 years old. His premature death can be put down to the disgusting behaviour of zoo visitors and the lack of surveillance by zoo staff.
“During the post-mortem, a cricket ball, coins and stones were found lodged in the first chamber of Dalapathi’s stomach. We do not know when the hippo swallowed the ball," said Vizag zoo curator B. Vijaya Kumar. Mr Kumar said the hippo was very visitor-friendly and delighted children especially. “Some might have thrown the objects into his mouth, the official said.
