Hannah Shirley, The World's Oldest Pygmy Hippo, Just Had An Iconic 52nd Birthday Party

Happy birthday, Hannah Shirley! This year marks 52 trips around the Sun for the world’s oldest living pygmy hippopotamus in managed care, and what better way to celebrate than with a bash based on everyone’s favorite hippo-themed game?

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The team at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, where Hannah Shirley is resident, really went to town with their party planning. Taking heavy inspiration from Hungry Hungry Hippos, the hippo’s habitat was filled with an adorably goofy-looking carboard hippo, oversized toys representing the different pieces of the game, and of course, plenty of delicious snacks to chomp on. If there’s anything that Moo Deng has taught us, it’s that pygmy hippos really do love to chomp.

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Hannah Shirley gained the title of world’s oldest living pygmy hippo on May 25, surpassing the previous record of 51 years, 6 months, and 2 days. That’s no mean feat in comparison to her wild relatives, who typically live to around 25 to 30 years old.

Not every part of the pygmy hippo’s 52-year-long life has been fun and games, however, having been rescued from a private backyard in California back in 2002. Speaking to NPR earlier this year, Andy Blue, who in 2002 was the animal care manager at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, recalled finding Hannah Shirley.

“I had a colleague who operated a facility in Ramona called the Fund for Animals, and he called me and just said, hey, we had a report of a hippo in someone's backyard,” Blue said. “Sure enough, I peeked over the fence and there was this little pygmy hippo.”

“And, you know, she was very calm. She was friendly and tractable and came up for carrots or treats. And unfortunately, to have - keep an animal like that in city limits is not legal, so she was seized by California Department of Fish and Wildlife.”

Hannah Shirley has lived at the Ramona Wildlife Center ever since, where it’s safe to say she lives a pretty enviable lifestyle. Not only does that include carefully coordinated game-themed birthday parties, but also daily dips in the pond, regular back rubs, and delicious meals. Sharpay Evans, eat your heart out. 

All that might sound like a lot of work for her human carers, but you won’t find any of them making complaints – it’s safe to say they’re pretty enamored with the pygmy hippo (as are we).

“Every day with Hannah Shirley is a gift,” said Autumn Welch, Wildlife Operations Manager at San Diego Humane Society, in a statement. “Her playful spirit and resilience continue to amaze us. Seeing her celebrate 52 years with such energy and curiosity is nothing short of extraordinary.”