“OBAYSCH” THE HIPPO

 

This hippopotamus named “Obaysch” was obtained from the Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt in 1849, in exchange for English greyhounds and deerhounds. Obaysch was an exotic sight, no doubt—as many Europeans had only ever read about hippos. Visitor numbers to the zoo doubled after his arrival at Regent’s Park.

Photo: ca. 1852, “The hippopotamus at the Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park”