Denver Zoo Hippo Entertains Itself With Enrichment Ball

The Denver Zoo’s sole resident hippo, Mahali, made the most of an enrichment ball in a video shared to the zoo’s Facebook page on January 17.

The clip shows Mahali playing with the ball during the zoo’s Hippo Encounter attraction. Staff at the Denver Zoo must choose enrichment toys carefully. Hippos can open their mouths to a 150-degree angle, which means smaller toys can be a choking hazard.

Mahali has been the sole hippo at the Denver Zoo since his father, Bertie, died in 2015 at the age of 58. Credit: Denver Zoo via Storyful