The National Zoo has completed its task of transporting the 5,000-pound hippopotamus from Washington, D.C. to the Milwaukee County Zoo.
"Yes, Happy arrived at about 3 a.m. this morning and is doing well," said Jennifer Diliberti at the Milwaukee County Zoo. "He is currently in quarantine and won't be available to the public or media for several days, or even early next week."
Happy made his 17-hour voyage to Brew City in a steel-framed and lumber-lined crate made by the National Zoo staff.
The five-ton crate was lifted onto the back of a flatbed truck by a construction crane. Happy left the National Zoo at approximately 9:35 a.m. and was followed by a car with two animal keepers and a veterinarian. The 28-year-old Happy wasn't sedated for the trip.
Happy will move in and possibly breed with two female hippos, Patti and Puddles. His move is a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, a cooperative breeding program among accredited zoos. Happy was born at the National Zoo on Jan. 4, 1981; staff named him Happy in reference to the "Happy New Year" greeting. Nile hippos can live up to 45 years in the wild and often longer in zoos.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
