No you're not seeing things, that really is a hippo strolling down the road. After a major flood in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Sunday, which killed 12 people, several parts of the city zoo were destroyed, allowing animals to escape and take to the streets. Three zoo workers were among the dead.
The hippo was later shot with a tranquiliser dart while several other runaways were killed because of safety concerns, including six wolves, a boar, a tiger, a lion and a hyena.
City authorities were on the lookout for 32 predators. Many monkeys and a few lions were reported missing.
A bear was spotted balancing on a windowsill (see picture, above). It was among eight bears that took to the streets after their enclosure was demolished. Rescuers in an inflatable boat gathered below to try to help the animal.
Residents were asked not to leave their homes, but there have been no reports of animal attacks so far. Police have been using helicopters, as well as searching the city on foot, to hunt down the escapees.
The flood occurred after strong winds and heavy rain hit the city, causing the Vere river to overflow. Models are predicting that extreme floods will increase dramatically in the coming decades because of climate change.
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