Huberta (hippopotamus)

Huberta was a South African hippo, which was known for its migratory instinct.

In November 1928 Huberta left her home and wandered through Natal to the south. Soon, she was accompanied by zoologists and representatives of the press, which she initially thought was a hippo bull and gave it the name Hubert. Attempts to capture the animal failed and were eventually banned - Huberta was declared a royal game and wherever they appeared, enthusiastically welcomed and fed. In three years, she laid a distance of about 1600 km. In April 1931 Huberta was shot at King William's Town by three hunters. The carcass was dissected and today is the stuffed animal in Kaffrarian Museum in King William's Town. The hunters were identified and sentenced to 25 edge penalty.

Hubertas migration was subject of a book by Grete Weiskopf entitled Hubert, the hippo. The sculptor Sonja Zytkow created around 1970 in Sausalito, California, a monument to Huberta, the 1989, however, fell victim to an earthquake.