Cremation chosen for Lu the hippo, a Florida wildlife Icon

Lu the Beloved Hippo at the Wildlife Park Crossed the Rainbow Bridge June

Lu, the beloved African hippopotamus and cherished resident of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, passed away peacefully on June 8, 2025. Born at the San Diego Zoo on Jan. 26, 1960, Lu came to Homosassa Springs in 1964. A charismatic actor,

Cremation chosen for Lu the hippo, a Florida wildlife Icon

Handling the remains of a 3,000- to 4,000-pound hippopotamus is not something Florida’s state park system typically does.