Why You Shouldn't Feed The Animals

NORFOLK, Virginia: Nyla, the Virginia Zoo's only hippopotamus, died of a bowel blockage on Sunday after she ate a racquetball tossed into her pen by a visitor. Zookeepers were mystified by Nyla's death until an autopsy of the 4,300-pound hippo showed that she had a 2-inch rubber ball blocking her intestinal passageway. Though authorities knew the hippo was suffering some kind of obstruction, they did not perform surgery, fearing she would die during the procedure. Nyla, 31, had lived at the zoo for more than 20 years after spending her youth as part of a Las Vegas circus act.