A Japanese zoo has discovered that a hippo, believed to be male for the past seven years, is female. After observing that 12-year-old Gen-chan was not exhibiting typical male behaviors, zookeepers conducted a DNA test. Gen-chan was transferred to Osaka from Mexico in 2017, with customs documents incorrectly identifying her as male.
“We will keep doing our best to provide a comfortable environment for Gen-chan,” the zoo said.
The Osaka Tennoji Zoo shared the revelation about Gen-chan’s gender on their website recently. According to the zoo’s announcement, Gen-chan arrived at their zoo from the Africam Safari Animal Park in Mexico when she was five years old and was misidentified as a male based on the documentation provided.
The zoo admitted that since Gen-chan was just a calf at that time, they didn’t question the accuracy of the paperwork.
Doubts arose as Gen-chan matured, and the absence of visible male reproductive organs became evident. A zoo spokesperson explained to AFP that Gen-chan did not exhibit typical male hippo behaviors such as making mating calls or using their tail in a propeller motion to spread feces and mark territory.
According to the Mainichi newspaper, the zoo’s vice director, Kiyoshi Yasufuku, said: “We recognize 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.