My love for hippos began in 1991 when I saw the Silentnight hippo and duck advert on TV and the soft toys they produced. For those of you who haven’t seen it, they show the hippo lying on the bed in sexy blue stripped PJ’s, next to a very small yellow duck. The bed has a revolutionary new spring system, so the hippo, weighing in at several tonnes, doesn’t roll over onto the duck! I cuddled the hippo the first time I saw the soft toy in a shop and was hooked for life. My collection started from there and for 20 years family and friends have known exactly what to buy me for birthdays & Christmases, providing they can find one I haven’t already got, as I had over 2000 in the millennium – I have since lost count. Collecting soft toys, ornaments, bed wear, mugs, stationary to name but a few is all well and good, but I soon wanted to know more about hippos, so I bought a couple of books other than the children’s fiction books that I had previously soaked up. This led me to want to adopt a hippo in the way anyone can adopt an elephant or a bear. It was quite a while before I found the save the hippo website. I soon realised that fostering a wild hippo was much preferable to adopting a zoo animal. For 4 years I fostered Climber until she left the groups that Karen monitors. I wanted another calf, so I could follow her development, but I also wanted a female as I didn’t want to see ‘my’ hippo injured or killed in a fight with another male over supremacy rights. Kiboko was the first female calf born in 2007. Her name means hippo in Swahili, it seemed right that I should choose this hippo as languages are my other love. I was over the moon when Karen contacted me to say that she was coming to England in 2006 to give a series of talks about her work, and one of those talks was going to be in the North-East. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, but I never dreamt then that I would ever be able to visit Karen as she was visiting us. I’m not sure when I realised that it was possible, and that Karen would welcome visitors, but once I did my main task was to convince my husband that it was where we should spend our summer holiday!
It has been the most amazing experience and so totally different to anything I have ever done before. Until now holidays have been either skiing in the Alps or sunbathing on a Greek island. At hippo haven we stayed in a delightful cottage, with no electricity, just one gas light and several candles. The bathroom has just 3 walls, so you can sit on the loo and look down into the valley, but there’s no one about so no worries about privacy, unless you don’t like monkeys or baboons watching you! Jean & Karen have built a lovely house with a huge thatched roof, and they share it with 8 cats, most of them inherited. They also have one goat left, Felix who I loved feeding lemon biscuits to in the afternoon. Their extended family includes not only the hippos, but a large pack of baboons and Vervet monkeys, many of which have been given names to match their individual characters.
Karen is very flexible with her visitors; you can do as little or as much as you want. She and Jean patrol the area every day, sometimes with games scouts sometimes on their own. We were free to join them if we wanted. They took us on game drives so we could see as many different types of animals as possible while we were there. She is an excellent cook and manages incredibly well in spite of having to travel for nearly 2 hours to get supplies, and even then there’s no guarantee that she will be able to get what she wants due to the shortages that have become part and parcel of life in Zimbabwe. Jean has to spend a considerable amount of time on maintenance as appliances & equipment is fairly old and can’t be replaced, due to lack of finances.
The very first thing we did was to go down to the hippo pool and say hello to the hippos before it got dark. From then on we went down each morning and evening, so we could see them leaving the pool to go onto the island to sleep, and then return at about 4 in the afternoon. Some days they were livelier than others. Kiboko has always been camera shy, but she made a big effort on just my second day and came to the front of the group to see me and say hello. On one of our afternoon visits we arrived too late to see the hippos come into the river, but we got an even better prize. Kiboko swam over to us, then walked out of the river, along the edge and went back in further along. We both got some fantastic pictures of her. Karen said she had never done anything like that before – she must have known that she had a special visitor. This was just one of the highs for me.
Another high point for both my husband and myself was meeting Jimmy. Jimmy is a 4 year old rhino who was orphaned as a baby and hand reared by Karen’s neighbour Ann Whittall. Jimmy now lives in the wild, but returns most evenings to see if Ann has any supper for him. We spotted him in the bush when we were returning from a game drive. Jimmy came right up to the car to see us and allowed us to scratch his nose! He then followed us back to the farm where we fed him grapefruit.
We also had the honour of naming one of the baboons. Vixen, one of the most popular baboons was heavily pregnant when we arrived. During our stay she had her baby and brought him to see us within hours of him being born. We named him Terry, as we have Fox Terriers at home, and this fitted with the fox theme. Terry is a very bright baboon, eyes open straightaway, becoming more and more curious every day. We made sure that Vixen got plenty to eat, which wasn’t easy with greedy males like Bella & Yoyo around.
I also had a favourite monkey – Hazel, she sat on a branch right by the front door watching our every move, just waiting for someone to leave the door open so she could be in the house (it didn’t happen while we were there!). She’s fairly small and quite timid and wants nothing more than to be allowed to live in the house. She has to make do with biscuits whenever the others don’t steal them first. She didn’t take food as gently as some of the others, instead she snatched the food and made off before one of the others could take it from her, but she did allow me to stroke her whenever the others weren’t around.
Following Karen’s advice we had a couple of nights at the Victoria Falls on our way back. They are just as spectacular as people say and a must for anyone going to Zimbabwe. Life there is very different from in the bush and must be seen. My husband went up in a helicopter – that too was fantastic, and his photos have given us a living memory.
You might be wondering if there were so many highs, what were the lows? Well there weren’t any. It was all such a huge contrast with our life here in England, we learnt so much, about animals – Karen is an amazing safari guide and can recognise all birds, which animals have been along paths and when. She showed us how to recognise the signs of various animals. We also learnt about life in Zimbabwe and the enormous changes that they have been through since 2000 and the problems that the farmers are still facing, the poaching and the hunting. I can wholeheartedly recommend that you visit Hippo Haven and find out for yourselves.
Thank you Karen, Jean-Roger, Alex & Pam for making us so welcome and making it all possible.
Jenny Cookson-Teall, August 2010
Jenny sunbathing at their cottage and Bella Baboon arrives.
Jenny and Felix goat.
Jean-Roger,Jenny and Les and Yo Yo.
Jenny and Les and the biggest Baobab tree in Zimbabwe nearby Hippo Haven.
Jenny and Karen walking past the hippos island in the bush.
Jenny very close to her hippo Kiboko who is in the middle with Kuchek at the back behind her and Tacha and Tandee in front of her and Dizzy on the far right.
Jenny watching Kiboko about to enter the pool with Kuchek at the back.
Jenny with Jimmy the orphaned black rhino.
Vixen with her first baby Terry here he is one day old.
Jen and Hazel Vervet monkey.
Jenny at the Victoria Falls photo Les Cookson-Teall.
Kiboko yawning.
Jenny Cookson-Teall, August 2010
Hear about feeding wildlife especially the Turgwe Hippos and many other wild animals in severe droughts where they all would have perished. Presented by Karen Paolillo the founder of the Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Watch video footage filmed from trail cameras in situ at the feeding areas during the 2024 drought. See unusual and interesting footage of various wild animals that fed during that 10-month period. Hippos, Elephants, buffalo, warthogs, wildebeest, zebra etc.
Meet Anthony Martin CBE, of the AVM Foundation.
Watch 15-minute film created by Actor, Filmmaker and Producer Dan Richardson. Filmed on site in Zimbabwe in July at Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Meet Actor and Animal Advocate and Auctioneer for the evening PETER EGAN, After Life, Death at a funeral, Downton Abbey, Chariots of Fire and so much more from stage and screen. Also meet Actor Mark Bonnar, Shetlands, Napoleon etc.
Donate to a cause that helps not just the Turgwe Hippos but any wildlife in the area. Protecting them from poaching, sport hunting, and natural events such as droughts and floods. People that step in every single day to keep them all safe and alive in the wild.
Purchase one or both books, A HIPPO LOVE STORY or HIPPOS A MONGOOSE AND ME published by Penguin South Africa, written and personally signed by Karen Paolillo; memoir and stories about living and protecting hippos and other wild animals in a remote area of the African bush for over three decades.
Purchase ‘Legacy of Love’, a book that celebrates the relationship between animals and actors, artists, photographers, animal charity founders; this includes the Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Purchase the 2027 Turgwe Hippo Trust hippo calendar presenting some of the hippos of the Turgwe River or the 2027 wild animals calendar. Images for both calendars by Karen Paolillo.
Join all of us for an inspiring evening learning more about the hippos, one of Africa’s iconic species, and helping to protect the Turgwe Hippos to continue their wild lives in the south east lowveld of Zimbabwe within the Turgwe River.
Auction items:
1)Stay for 2 people with Karen and Jean-Roger at Hippo Haven, headquarters of the Turgwe Hippo Trust in Zimbabwe for 9 nights, which can include 2 nights in the Gona Re Zhou National Park at a rustic bush camp where you pay National Parks for that experience. Jean-Roger and Karen Paolillo will personally drive you there (2 hours from Hippo Haven) and bring and prepare the food.This does not include air tickets to Zimbabwe or travel by courier service Harare to Hippo Haven and Return. (5-hour drive).Jean-Roger and Karen Paolillo will pick you up at the entrance to the Conservancy which is 70 kilometres from Hippo Haven and return you to the boom at the end of you stay , where you will be collected by the Courier service.
Accommodation in Harare at your own cost, the Paolillo’s can suggest hotels and guest lodges. Dates this is available at this moment are between June to end of September, date to be arranged with the Paolillos by end of November 2026. Winter months in Zimbabwe i.e. cooler nights June to August. August and September hotter around 30 degrees in August in daytime but it can go as high as 36 degrees in September, climate change notwithstanding.You may be lucky enough to meet Max hippo, the Turgwe Hippo Trust house hippo if he is still visiting the house in 2027.
Value of Stay at Hippo Haven, Turgwe Hippo Trust Zimbabwe £3700
Transport Harare to boom and return to Harare 900km. £800 to be paid by winning bid
CHITAKE This is one of several paintings I have done of Zimbabwe’s Chitake Springs, one of the wonders of the wildlife world. The Chitake river bed itself is sandy and dry for most of the year, flanked on both sides by cliffs gouged out by the river over hundreds of years. On top of the cliffs the iconic towering baobab trees, perhaps a thousand years old, add to the grandeur of this gem of wild Africa. A spring wells up and is the only water for many miles. When myself and my family camp here the best times are when we are alone – just us with no noise other than those of a wild world that pays no attention to us. On the occasion of this painting the Cape Buffalo herd of over a thousand has not yet arrived, the lion pride of over 30 individuals is waiting patiently in the shade of the giant baobabs, and the elephant have ambled up for their midday drink. Small numbers of Impala are left after the main herd has finished drinking, Helmeted Guineafowl have arrived, and huge numbers of Cape Turtle Doves are milling around, drinking as fast as they can, then leaving in a flash of wings before the Lanner Falcons strike. This is raw untamed Africa at its best and a paradise for me as an artist.
Value of Chitake £3700 Ant Fynn
Framed size 26”x 36”
Richard Symonds passion and commitment to wildlife spans over 20 years.
He has held a number of exhibitions and auctions in and around London including Christies and Sotheby’s and his work can be found in private and corporate collections worldwide.
In 2006 Richard hit the headlines with his life size oil painting of an African bull elephant which sold for a staggering $100,000 to a private collector. With a large donation from that sale going to the Born Free Foundation. Richard has always pledged to himself that whilst making his living from his wildlife art it only feels right to balance his success with giving back to the wild by raising funds through the sale and auctions of his originals and prints.
Value of LION by Richard Symonds
£3500
Framed 24”x38”
I've known about Karen's dedication towards hippos, warthogs and other creatures living locally to her area for a few years now and am happy to help through my art whenever possible. So when she contacted me recently about her latest event being organised for the Turgwe Hippo Trust, I chose this special framed print for her auction at the Royal Geographical Society. Having the THT patron, Peter Egan as the esteemed auctioneer will surely help as he's one of the good guys, involved in many wildlife charities.
Besides 'Hippo' being an embellished print, which means I have personally added many thousands of new pencil strokes over many hours on top of the print making it more dynamic and quite unique. It becomes much closer to an original drawing and this particular copy has also been co-signed by two shining lights of the conservation world, Dame Virginia McKenna and Rula Lenska.
I've been fortunate to have witnessed serene scenes like this many times over the past 36 years, in Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, Botswana and most of all in South Luangwa, Zambia where hippos abound in their thousands.
Value of HIPPO by Gary Hodges £845 unframed
Size 45.5cm x 15.5cm
Suzie’s animal sculptures have gained great acclaim over the last 35 years and she now has a loyal following both in the UK and abroad. She has undertaken many private and business commissions including sculpture exhibits for a museum in Taiwan and two public installations, one of Nelson the Seal at Looe Harbour in Cornwall, the other of Police Dog Finn at Layston Court Gardens, Buntingford, Hertfordshire. Her work reflects her love of animals and her fascination with their character and form. She often produces work to aid animal charities close to her heart and this has taken her to the Animals Asia bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam as well as the Turgwe Hippo Trust in Zimbabwe. In recognition of her own four cats who double as artist’s models, Suzie is also a keen supporter of Cats Protection. Her initial work is in clay and her originals can then be cast in bronze resin and/or foundry bronze. All of her work is suitable for the home or garden.
Value of stoneware HIPPO Suzie Marsh £2000
Weight 10kg 45cm long x 24cm deep x 29.5cm high
She is a one-off original sculpture made in stoneware clay.
The Turgwe Hippo Trust does its best to promote indigenous artists by suggesting to guests and volunteers which markets to visit. In Gift’s case many of the Trust’s volunteers have purchased his work as his talent shines through in the details and accuracy of the shape and look of the wild animals he sculpts.
We so look forward to meeting you all and hope you have a wonderful evening with us.
