Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
11018975_10152693413015222_8801676581226060218_n
Hakuna and Matata (Picture: Facebook / Diergaarde Blijdorp, Rotterdam Zoo) - Credit: Hakuna and Matata (Picture: Facebook / Diergaarde Blijdorp, Rotterdam Zoo)
Nature
bombing of 1940
crocodile
Crocodile River
Deceased
destroyed
female crocodile
gift
Hakuna
Hakuna Matata
Josephine Baker
Matata
Oldest crocodile
Rotterdam zoo
singer dancer
Zoo
Friday, 6 March 2015 - 17:32
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Oldest crocodile in captivity dies at Rotterdam Zoo

Hakuna, called the oldest crocodile in any zoo worldwide, died this week, the Rotterdam Zoo announced. Its exact age was not revealed, but was known to be more than 85 years of age. Hakuna came into the Blijdorp zoo with a female crocodile, Matata, around 1930. The crocodiles were a gift from famous singer and dancer Josephine Baker. Both crocodiles were already fully grown when entering the zoo, which made it difficult to determine their age. They were two of the few animals to have survived the bombing of Rotterdam in 1940 that destroyed almost completely destroyed the old zoo. The pair spent their last years in the Crocodile River before Matata died midway through 2014.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Concerns about safety of new construction after Amsterdam apartment complex fire
  • Noord-Holland residents worried about continued gas extraction, new earthquakes
  • Investigation into ING Belgium after complaints about monitoring employee emails
  • Dutch PM says blowing up Ukraine’s dam is a war crime
  • Four prisoners found dead in Zaanstad prison last month
  • Stone Age axes found in box donated to Ermelo thrift store

Top stories

  • Dutch PM says blowing up Ukraine’s dam is a war crime
  • Grants will definitely replace student loan system this year; Applications start soon
  • Eurostar hopeful about keeping Amsterdam-London high speed train running
  • Joran van der Sloot appeals against Peru's plans to extradite him to U.S.
  • Every Netherlands resident affected by data leak: watchdog
  • Trains expected to run from 9 a.m. around Amsterdam, Utrecht & The Hague

© 2012-2023, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content