The hippo, named Gen-chan, did not exhibit behaviors typical of males, such as underwater jaw-to-jaw sparring and territorial fights.
Tennoji Zoo in Osaka, Japan, has revealed some surprising facts about Gen-chan, a hippo it has kept in captivity for many years. Gen-chan, who was thought to be a man for seven years, turns out to be actually a woman!
The zoo's website revealed Gen-chan's “true identity.” The hippo was brought in from an African safari in Mexico in 2017 when it was only five years old and was thought to be male. “The documentation required for import indicated that this animal was male,” a zoo official told People magazine.
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Although they were initially confident of Gen-chan's masculinity, zookeepers grew doubtful over the years.Gen-chan was unable to exhibit. Typical behavior of male hippos Things like jaw-to-chin sparring and underwater territorial fights.
In some ways, Gen-chan seems to have missed the memo of what the internet calls “toxic” masculine behavior. There are no sparring matches or turf wars, just peaceful coexistence. With suspicion creeping in and Gen-chan's reproductive organs not visible, the zoo decided to solve the problem with DNA testing.
What did they find? Gen-chan is truly a female hippo! In response to this unexpected development, the zoo issued a statement emphasizing the importance of reconfirming the gender of animals introduced in the future. “Based on the results of this (DNA test), we recognize the importance of reconfirming the sex of introduced animals and will take precautions to ensure that this does not happen again,” zoo officials said. he told People magazine.
They also pledged to continue providing Gen-chan with a comfortable and welcoming environment. “We will continue to strive to provide a comfortable environment for Gen-chan, so we hope that you will continue to visit us in the future,'' the report states.
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Date first uploaded: April 25, 2024, 10:34 IST