Harassing the hippos: A courting ritual?

[proud2BlibKansan]

By MATT CAMPBELL
The Kansas City Star

Two boys who allegedly harassed the hippos at the Kansas City Zoo on Monday may have been trying to impress a girl, the zoo director said Tuesday.

“There was a young lady there,” said Director Randy Wisthoff. “My impression is they were trying to show off for the young girl. It was a courting ritual.”

According to a witness, the youths jumped into the hippo enclosure and threw rocks at the huge animals, which can be very dangerous.

The witness, identified as a 14-year-old girl, said the animals became angry and began to charge the boys.

Wisthoff said zoo officials did not see the incident. When security guards arrived the boys were outside the hippo enclosure and tried to run away, but the guards caught them.

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http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/193084.html