After suffering from a severe digestive condition, the 26-year-old specimen lost its life due to a cardiorespiratory arrest, the historic hippopotamus.
The Bioparque La Plata confirmed the death of Hipólito, the iconic male hippopotamus that lived in the facility for almost twenty years. The specimen died early Friday morning due to a cardiorespiratory arrest caused by a systemic deterioration of its physical condition, according to the official report from the entity.
The animal was almost 26 years old and was born in captivity in the year 2000. It arrived in the Buenos Aires capital at the age of eight, after spending from the age of five in another zoo.
During its time in the city, it lived with a female named Mafalda, with whom it had an offspring named Felipe.
An emblem of the Biopark
Over time, Hipólito became one of the most distinctive inhabitants of the place. Its stay coincided with the institutional transformation of the former La Plata Zoo, which began its conversion to a Biopark in 2016, aiming to prioritize animal welfare and leaving behind the traditional exhibition scheme.
Following that change, the premises closed its doors to the general public to function as a center for care, conservation, and wildlife research, with access restricted only to specialized personnel.
A bond based on trust
For nearly two decades, the hippopotamus stood out for its docile temperament and the bond of security it established with its caretakers and the team of veterinarians. This particularity facilitated the application of exceptional work dynamics for specimens of such magnitude and species.
From the direction of the Biopark, they highlighted that its collaborative nature facilitated trainings that minimized stress during health check-ups. Through these actions, professionals performed tasks such as daily oral cleanings and dental trimming without resorting to invasive methods.
A significant event took place in 2025, when technicians carried out blood extractions through training, without the need for sedation. This procedure was deemed an unprecedented event in wildlife centers in Argentina.
Clinical history and challenges
The specimen’s health status required specific monitoring in the last period. In 2025, Hipólito underwent a high-complexity surgery, setting a significant precedent for veterinary medicine of wild animals in the nation. That operation was considered a success at the time.
However, in the weeks prior, it began to show a severe digestive condition that led to a gradual deterioration of its overall health. In this scenario, the multidisciplinary technical team (specialists in nutrition, biology, veterinary medicine, and animal behavior) implemented various protocols to ensure its stability.
Therapeutic actions included the use of analgesics, gastric protectors, and antibiotic therapy, along with constant monitoring to assess its clinical progression.
The end and its significance
Despite the dedication of the professional team, the hippopotamus’s condition worsened in recent hours. Finally, in the early hours of Friday, a cardiorespiratory arrest caused its death.
The institution expressed its sorrow over the death and highlighted the sustained work of its technical teams. Through a statement, they emphasized that Hipólito was a fundamental piece in implementing new management practices and preventive medicine in large mammals.
