Warthogs at Karen’s Haven

Warthogs at Karen’s Haven

This photo shows eight of the 12 warthogs that find safety alongside seventy two  baboons, thirty three vervet monkeys, 4 rescue cats, one mongoose, two bush pigs (called Bonny and Clyde) and any other animal who walks into the Trust’s headquarters. The families of...
Steve and his New Friends

Steve and his New Friends

Steve is seen here meeting warthogs for the very first time. There are at present 12 warthogs taking refuge at the Turgwe Hippo Trust. They come along every day for food which is encouraged, for there are a specific group of poachers in the area who target warthogs....
Steve : New Media Star

Steve : New Media Star

Steve hippo is quite the media star ! He has proved to be the cleverest young male hippo that has  been studied by Karen. All young male hippos get chased away from their family pod from as  early as two and a  half years of age. It is normally their own mother who...
Max with Friends

Max with Friends

This is Max who lives in Kuchek’s family of hippos close to the Turgwe Hippo Trust headquarters, with Kuchek the bull and his father in front of him. Max is four months old in this photo taken July 2020. Hippos live in harmony with the crocodiles and often they will...
Latest News from Squiggle

Latest News from Squiggle

For all of you who follow Karen’s blog or check out the facebook page Karen Paolillo, or Turgwe Hippo Trust, you should remember Squiggle the slender mongoose. Squiggle was found by Karen under a log with still her umbilical chord attached and her eyes closed. There...
Hippos at Game

Hippos at Game

On the left is Kai, age one year and two month, playing with new calf Max age four months. Photo taken July 2020. Hippo calves play at open mouthed pushing games and often leap over each other in the water like dolphins. They will gape like this and joust with each...
Temba’s Familly- 2020

Temba’s Familly- 2020

This is Tembia hippo’s family with himself totaling 15 hippos. Three new calves born to his family this year 2020. Tembia is very special as he was conceived when Karen Paolillo first fed the last hippos of the Turgwe River back in 1991/92. His mother Lace conceived...
Hippos playing in Turgwe River

Hippos playing in Turgwe River

This photo shows Libra a female gaping at baby Kuchek when he was only about two and a half months old. This is entirely playful and a common thing that happens with hippos. Libra was allowed close contact as at that stage she was still a young hippo and so no threat...
Tough time for a croc !

Tough time for a croc !

This croc here was just sleeping quietly on land when some of the Turgwe hippo juveniles returned to their river pool. For some reason Zen sat on the croc and I managed to catch this once in a lifetime shot of a young male hippo sitting on a crocodile. I am happy to...
What happened during Year 2013?

What happened during Year 2013?

2013 was a pretty harsh year for the hippos and other wildlife in our area. A localized drought, stemming from rains that fell in one large amount and then petered out, saw us without any grazing for the animals dependant on the Lowveld grasses. Browse on the trees...