Taipei: A pygmy hippopotamus named Thabo, originally from Singapore, has been confirmed dead by the Taipei Zoo due to what the zoo said was malnutrition and infection. The 2-year-old hippo from Singapore's Mandai Wildlife Group passed away sometime after 4 a.m., despite efforts to treat it over the past month.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Taipei Zoo, which was home to Thabo, issued a statement on Monday confirming the death. Taipei Zoo spokesperson Tsao Hsien-shao explained the challenges of caring for large animals, highlighting that they cannot easily receive injections, IV drops, or tube feedings. Thabo's shyness further complicated its care, as efforts to hide medication in its feed failed when the hippo refused to consume it.
Pygmy hippos are listed as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with the number of mature individuals estimated to be between 2,000 and 2,499 worldwide. Thabo had arrived at the Taipei Zoo in mid-November 2024 and was first seen by the public in January 2025.
The situation worsened on Feb. 11 when a zookeeper noticed a wound on Thabo's right foot, which was treated with oral medication and daily cleaning. However, the hippo's reluctance to take the medication and avoidance of zookeepers made treatment difficult. Thabo's condition deteriorated further as it developed more lumps on its body, exacerbated by the cold air mass and drastic temperature fluctuations, contrasting with the stable, warm weather of Singapore.
On Sunday, the care team set up an emergency unit to provide round-the-clock care. Despite these efforts, Thabo's white blood cell count, muscle index, and other indicators related to liver and kidney function continued to rise before its death. An autopsy performed by a veterinary team from National Taiwan University confirmed that Thabo suffered from malnutrition and infection.
Tsao stated that the zoo will continue to investigate the causes of Thabo's death to determine whether the zoo's environment posed any risk to other animals. The zoo is also reflecting on how care procedures might be improved.