With slow movements, Lek called out to the puppy. The hippo stepped back, watching. Nino lifted his head, and ran straight into Lek’s arms.
But even after the reunion, the hippo didn’t leave. It stayed at the water’s edge for nearly an hour, as if making sure its new friend was truly safe.
That afternoon, rangers carefully guided the hippo back toward protected waters. But no one who saw it will forget the moment: a puppy and a baby hippo, sleeping side by side, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.