Do Animals Have Friends?

Unlikely Friends

In December 2004, near the town of Malindi in Kenya, heavy rains and a tidal wave swept an unlucky herd of hippopotamuses into the Indian Ocean. Only one hippo survived—a 600-pound baby.

Rescuers found the little hippo stranded on a reef the next day. They brought the orphan to a wildlife sanctuary. They called him Owen.

There, something unusual happened. Exhausted and scared, Owen spotted a round, brown shape and ran to it. But this back belonged to a 130-year-old tortoise named Mzeewhich means “old man” in Swahili.

At first, Mzee didn’t know what to make of his new fan. Owen stuck close to Mzee’s side, as if Mzee were a mama hippo. Soon they became constant companions. They ate together and spent long days lolling