Hippopotamus beaten and stabbed to death at zoo in El Salvador

Gustavito: The hippo was left with bruises and puncture wounds after the attack
EPA
Chloe Chaplain28 February 2017

A beloved hippopotamus living in El Salvador’s National Zoo has been beaten to death in a savage attack – sparking upset across the country.

The 15-year-old hippo, named Gustavito, is believed to have been attacked by an unknown group of assailants that broke into the zoo last week.

Gustavito, who was brought to the country from Guatemala 13 years ago, died from his injuries on Sunday.

Despite being used to the widespread gang violence and high murder rates of the country, the hippo’s brutal death caused outrage among civilians.

Salvadorans mourned through social media and some left flowers at the gate of the zoo, which has been closed until further notice.

Beloved: The animal was described as a national treasure
AP

"Here we're used to seeing the dead every day," said Martin Castillo, a street vendor in central San Salvador. "They kill us like flies, but this tops it all. They killed an animal that only entertained us."

Zoo director Vladan Henriquez said at a news conference that the hippo was covered with bruises and puncture wounds after apparently being attacked with metal bars, knives and rocks.

The attack occurred last week, but zoo keepers did not discover the hippo's injuries until Thursday because he did not leave his pool.

Justice minister Mauricio Ramirez Landaverde said an investigation had been opened and police are trying to establish who broke into the animal’s enclosure.

El Salvador is one of the world's most violent countries, recording 5,278 homicides last year, or an average of 14 people killed per day. Most of the killings have been blamed on powerful street gangs.

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