Main content

The hippo and the tortoise

In Kenya, a baby hippo and a giant tortoise formed an unusual friendship in 2004. The story of Owen and Mzee became a symbol of hope and went viral.

Following the devastating tsunami of 2004, a baby hippo named Owen was rescued from the sea off the coast of Kenya.

He was taken to Haller Park in Mombasa, home of a 130-year-old giant tortoise called Mzee.

Owen and Mzee formed an unusual friendship and their story gained worldwide fame.

Dr Paula Kahumbu tells their story to Gill Kearsley.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the β€˜Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and GΓΆrel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Owen and Mzee. Credit: Peter Greste/AFP/Getty Images)

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Sat 11 Nov 2023 03:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 10 Nov 2023 08:50GMT
  • Fri 10 Nov 2023 12:50GMT
  • Fri 10 Nov 2023 18:50GMT
  • Fri 10 Nov 2023 23:50GMT
  • Sat 11 Nov 2023 03:50GMT

Featured in...

Podcast