2,000 Pound “Daughter” on Animal Planet
-- A Ton of Love in Jessica the Hippo --
October 10, 2007
Bringing an animal into your home can always be a little daunting. Now, imagine that this animal is nearly 2,000 pounds and about to hit puberty. It is also one of the most dangerous and aggressive mammals known to man and eats almost 100 pounds of grass a day! It’s not something the inexperienced want to tackle! But, that is exactly what the Jouberts were up against when they brought JESSICA THE HIPPO into their home. Animal Planet’s JESSICA THE HIPPO, premiering October 21, at 8PM (ET), documents how the Jouberts deal with everyday life with Jessica. From choosing Jessica's mate so the Jouberts can have “grandchildren” to watching what she eats to nightly aromatherapy massages, life with Jessica is anything but normal.
Narrated by cult filmmaker John Waters, JESSICA THE HIPPO follows a year in the life of one of the most extraordinary families viewers ever will meet. It all started six years ago when retired game ranger Tonie Joubert discovered an orphaned, newborn hippo on the banks of the Blythe River in front of his home. He dedicated himself to saving her life, and years later, on their South African ranch, Tonie, who had spent his life policing the savannah, and his wife, Shirley – a city girl at heart – and their beloved Jessica share a bond that seems to defy the laws of nature.
JESSICA THE HIPPO follows the ups and downs of family life in the Joubert household as Tonie and Shirley prepare Jessica for adolescence. While navigating the dangers of bringing a wild animal into their home, they must constantly determine what is best for Jessica. JESSICA THE HIPPO will also explore how normal hippos live and why so little is known about this amazing animal.
JESSICA THE HIPPO is produced for Animal Planet & Discovery Kids Media by Oxford Scientific Films. Clare Birks and Caroline Hawkins are executive producers and Frederic Casella is producer and director for Oxford Scientific Films. Dawn Sinsel is the executive producer for Animal Planet and Discovery Kids Media.
About Animal Planet Media
Animal Planet Media (APM), a multimedia business unit of Discovery Communications, connects humans and animals with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in over 91 million homes in the U.S.; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; PetsIncredible, a major producer and distributor of pet-training videos that includes the Web service PetVideo.com; and other media platforms, including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service, mobile content, and merchandising extensions.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications is the number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Through TV and digital media, Discovery's 100-plus worldwide networks include Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, The Science Channel, Discovery Health and HD Theater. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Co. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.