The little hippo was saved by people, he survived thanks to them

In 2000, there was a serious flood in South Africa. The waters of Limpopo overflowed their banks and covered several countries, damaging houses and plots.

Animals also suffered – not all were able to find shelter from a sudden disaster.

After the event, the Joubert spouses from the Republic of South Africa were walking along the river. On the shore they noticed an exhausted lone hippo. The animal, most likely, was a newborn, since it still had an umbilical cord.

The African couple could not leave the baby and took him home. The cub turned out to be a girl, the couple gave her the name Jessica. Even being small in size, the animal already weighed about 15 kg.

So, Jessica grew up among people who became the closest creatures for her, because the hippo did not know the likes of her. And the Jouberts did everything to make the pet feel comfortable. When she began to grow up, the owners made for Jessica a small pond near the house, from which she could watch what was happening in the house.

For several years, an exotic animal cohabited with people right in the house. But the older Jessica got, the worse the house got. The floor, the furniture – everything had to be repaired, because the hippo was no longer a baby at all. So, the couple decided to release the pet into the natural environment. Now Jessica lives by the river, but is devoted to her owners and constantly visits her “parents” house.

A lot of television stories were shot about this amazing pet, which aroused interest in Jessica among South African tourists.

Joubert are happy to visit Jessica themselves. They come to the river with gifts – the pet's favorite tea, which she is ready to drink in liters.

In addition to Jessica, the spouses have other pets – dogs. Animals get along well with each other and even sleep in an embrace!

Now the age of hippopotamus has reached 20 years. Although she no longer lives with the Jouberts permanently, the spouses always have a soft mattress prepared on the porch of the house for her visits. Here is such an unusual but very friendly family!