The three hippos were returned to their home in Anderston later in 2018 by Sanctuary Homes. The original 1960s hippos were popular with local residents, many of whom remembered them from their childhood.
The dilapidated state of the much-loved trio meant they could not be refurbished (as originally planned), so Sanctuary had moulds made of the original hippos. The replicas were then returned to their Anderston ‘habitat’.
For more than half a century of the hippos were nameless.
However, to mark their return, local primary pupils were invited to rectify this. Henceforth the the ‘dad’ will be known as Rocky, the ‘mum’ Kiboko and the ‘baby’ Alexanderston.
A plaque records the hippos names, the names of the pupils and their schools and provides a brief explanatory background note:
‘The hippos formed part of the 1960’s Comprehensive Redevelopment of Anderston. They were restored and returned to Anderston by Sanctuary Homes in 2018 as part of the regeneration of the Anderston area’.