Male hippo in Japan zoo found to be female after 7 yrs

[Night]

Nature is getting weird.

www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68884548

A zoo in Japan has confirmed that a hippopotamus thought for seven years to be a he is, in fact, a she.

A DNA test was carried out after zookeepers noticed that 12-year-old Gen-chan did not display typical male hippo behaviour.

Gen-chan arrived in Osaka from Mexico in 2017, and customs documents at the time said she was male.A spokeswoman for the Osaka Tennoji Zoo told AFP on Tuesday that typical male hippo behaviour that Gen-chan was not displaying included making courtship calls to female hippos, or scattering faeces around while defecating with a propeller-like tail motion in order to mark territory.

According to the Mainichi newspaper, the zoo's vice director Kiyoshi Yasufuku said: "We recognise the importance of confirming the sex, and we want to ensure that such mistakes will not happen again."

The zoo confirmed that Gen-chan will not be getting a name change.

[madworld42]

I mean, don't they have sex organs where you can tell?

[Raven]

^Probably different with every animal.

IE, how do you sex a snake?

[xea989]

I wondered this about Owen the tortoise, but I guess he can display signs of being male?!?

[PunkChic4life22]

xea989,
IIRC, Owen displays many male characteristics, but never his manhood so far.

[Blexrude]

A name change isn't necessary.

Male/female names only matter in the human world.

[Anchorman]

I'm hoping she got all the right care all these years.

[Talira Greycrest]

Apr 24, 2024 19:22:08 GMT -5 Raven said:

^Probably different with every animal.

IE, how do you sex a snake?

[Prime]

Well that's a new one.

[bigballofyarn]

Owen was XRAYed in the past and either the animal hospital was giving me a hard time or he was hiding his manhood really well. The hospital wouldn't tell me his sex, but stated he "appeared to be male." Every external characteristic indicates that he's male. He's never shown me any male tortoise reproductive organs. However, there are other signs that indicate he's male, such as: the length of his claws, the size of his tail, the appearance of his belly, and so forth. I wouldn't change his name either if he's found out to be female in a few years. He responds to his name and I'd highly doubt he cares about names only being given to certain sexes in humans. I chose his name before I met him for very specific reasons. The name carries a lot of meaning and weight. I put more thought into his name than some people do in naming their children. Trying to come up with a female name and giving him an identity complex would be worthless. He's almost 9 now and keeps showing more male characteristics. I think we're fine.

[Phreck]

^Owen is eternal.

[Ventman]

Well that's interesting.

[harper]

Wow how weird.

[PurpleBlast]

Well that's interesting.

[Zero Dade Cool]

Poor hippo has a complex. JK.