After more than seven years, the gender of a hippopotamus at a Tokyo zoo has finally been clearly determined due to ‘unusual toilet behavior’. A boy became a girl!
For seven years, the twelve-year-old female hippopotamus “Gen-chan” is said to have led the life of a man. The animal had been brought to Tokyo from a zoo in Mexico; according to customs documents it was a male hippopotamus.
Zookeepers were suspicious
But over time, Osaka zookeepers began to have doubts. Especially since “Gen-chan” did not exhibit the typical male hippo behavior of splashing around with a propeller-like tail motion while defecating – to mark territory.
The hippopotamus also did not court any females. And the zookeepers were unable to identify male genitalia, an inherently dangerous task given the size and danger of hippos.
‘Gen-chan”s living conditions are adjusted
Following these observations, the zoo eventually had a DNA test carried out: “The result is that it is a female,” according to the zoo. Now it will be ensured that “Gen-chan” is provided with appropriate living conditions.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
