Sedgwick County Zoo says ‘goodbye’ to Pudgie the Hippo

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – The Sedgwick County Zoo announced the death of one of its members, Pudgie, the hippopotamus.

The zoo said it made the difficult decision to euthanize Pudgie due to ongoing health issues and declining mobility due to her age. She was 50 years old.

“In recent years, keepers and veterinarians at SCZ had been providing specialized geriatric care to keep Pudgie comfortable and ensure she maintained a good quality of life. However, she recently took an obvious downward turn and it became clear that her pain was too difficult to manage,” said the zoo.

A necropsy (animal autopsy) will be performed on Pudgie to further understand the extent of her health conditions. She was born Oct. 18, 1972, at Houston Zoo and has called Sedgwick County Zoo home since 1973, when she joined hippo Sweetie Pie in the Zoo’s African Veldt habitat. The two have lived together at SCZ for the past five decades.

The zoo said keepers will devote extra time to monitoring Sweetie’s behavior and well-being now that her best friend is gone.

“No doubt one of the most iconic animals at SCZ, Pudgie will be deeply missed by everyone who knew her,” the zoo said.

Pudgie’s keepers encourage her fans to share their memories with us on social media as a way to commemorate the amazing life she shared with our community.