Huberta the Hippo

Huberta the hippo is arguably one of the most famous wild animals in South African history. Born in the warm Mhlatuze lagoon near the modern-day port of Richard??s Bay in Zululand, she took it into her head in 1928 to begin an 800-kilometre trek down the coast - it took three years, hundreds of international newspaper headlines and several lawsuits for damages. She travelled through Durban - strolling the main street and looking into shop windows while pedestrians dived for cover ?? and then ambled down to the Wild Coast followed by hoards of eager reporters. Her friendly and inquisitive nature established her as the nation??s pet.

Huberta arrived in Port St Johns in March of 1930, and for six months took up residence in the river, where ?? despite its name of Mzimvubu (home of the hippo) - none of her ilk had been seen for years. It was a lively six months for the residents of the town as Huberta wandered through gardens, grazed on lawns, upset a few boats, caused quite a few drunks to swear to mend their ways, and became a common sight around town. Her departure in September left a shortage of chaos-causing incidents and life settled down again. There was national mourning at the end of the year when news flashed around the world that a pair of trigger- happy farmers had shot Huberta in a river in the Eastern Cape. She had committed the unforgiveable sin of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her remains can be seen at the National History Museum in King Williams Town.

And there has never been another hippo in the Mzimvubu River.

Wild Coast Community Tourism Initiative

Postal Address: PO Box 18171, Quigney 5211, South Africa

Physical Address: Tourism Centre, Eastern Cape Tourist Board, Quigney, East London 5211, South Africa

Telephone: +27 43 7222203
Fax: +27 43 7222219
info@wildcoast.org.za