Memphis, TN, USA — On April 29, the Memphis Zoo opened its $22 million Zambezi River Hippo Camp Exhibit. The 4-acre exhibit is a tribute to the animals, culture and architecture of the Zambezi River Valley in Africa featuring hippos and Nile crocodiles with spectacular viewing areas that bring you up-close and personal with the animals. There are three hippos, including one new male hippo from Disney’s Animal Kingdom (“Uzazi”) and two females from the Memphis Zoo (“Binti” and “Splish”). Joining them in Zambezi are four Nile crocodiles – three females and one male – that arrived from South Africa via FedEx. Ranging in size from 12 to 14 feet, these crocodiles are among the largest of their kind in North America. Both exhibits include underwater viewing areas. The hippo area contains 200,000 gallons of water, all of which can be purified in an hour thanks to a state-of-the- art, custom-built filtration system. The Zambezi exhibit is also home to other rare animals such as okapi, nyala antelope and patas monkeys, as well as yellow-backed duikers, lesser flamingos and cape vultures. Other African birds are featured in a free-flight aviary.
All photos courtesy Memphis Zoo.
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