Longleat Safari Park's fan-favourite hippo Spot dies

Spot the hippo had lived at Longleat in Wiltshire since 1977

A safari park says one of its beloved hippopotamus will be "deeply missed" after dying at the age of 49.

Spot had lived at Longleat in Wiltshire since 1977. Fellow hippo Sonia, also 49, died in April 2023.

"Like all the animals at Longleat she was very special and loved to be outside and was often seen wallowing in the mud." a spokesperson said.

"She was loved by her keepers and made a big impression with our visitors," they added.

"The highlight of any trip to Longleat is the boat safari which offered the chance to glimpse Spot as she broke the surface of the water."

Spotting the hippo in the lake was a big part of the safari's boat trip

Hippos normally live for around 40-50 years and Spot had almost reached her 50th birthday when she died.

They are the third largest living land mammal and their teeth can reach up to 50.8cm (20 inches) in length.

Despite their size, they can also reach speeds of up to 20 mph (32 km/h).

Half Mile Lake, their home at the park, is an artificial water feature which was designed by Capability Brown and dug by hand in the 18th century.