Hippo stuck in South Africa swimming pool

Johannesburg - A hippopotamus that was chased away from its herd at a South African game reserve Tuesday, has found the a nice, relaxing swimming pool to relax in. Unfortunately, now the hippo is stuck there.

The hippo went into the pool Tuesday at the Monate Conservation Lodge north of Johannesburg, The Associated Press reports. The pool is big enough for the hippo to swim in. The problem is it's 8 feet deep, and there are no steps, so "there's no way he can come out," lodge manager Ruby Ferreira told The AP Thursday. According to The Guardian, a capture team will sedate the hippo Friday and then lift it out of the pool with a crane. Mulsabel Wentzel of South Africa's National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has said that most of the pool's water has already been drained to make rescuing the hippo much easier. According to BBC News, if the hippo was sedated without the water being drained, it would drown. Mulsabel Wentzel also said a veterinarian will be present for Friday's rescue mission. The staff at the lodge has been feeding the hippo, The AP reports, and lodge manager Ruby Ferreira says it seems very relaxed. The 4 year old hippo was originally forced from its herd by the more dominant males, Mulsabel Wentzel said. It will be moved to another animal sanctuary. Meanwhile, according to BBC News, Cape Town residents have been warned about a two-year old stray hippo calf that has also been separated from its herd. According to The Telegraph, city officials will monitor the animal for 2 weeks, but if he won't leave the area, he may have to be captured or darted. "The night before last, he was in peoples' gardens. Obviously, there were a lot of people out, Julia Wood, manager of biodiversity management said. "And then last night, somebody picked him up on one of the roads." BBC News reports that a statement has been issued instructing residents to be "particularly cautious as hippos are known to be extremely dangerous wild animals."