Lu, the beloved African hippopotamus and cherished resident of Florida’s Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, died peacefully on June 8.
Born at the San Diego Zoo on Jan. 26, 1960, Lu came to Homosassa Springs in 1964. A charismatic actor, he was a movie and television star with the Ivan Tors Animal Actors troupe and starred in popular films and television shows of the 1960s, including Daktari, Cowboy in Africa, the Art Linkletter Show and the Herb Albert Special. His Hollywood past added to his charm, but it was his calm presence and gentle personality that endeared him to generations of Floridians and visitors alike.
When the Florida Park Service acquired the park in 1989, Lu’s future was uncertain as the focus shifted exclusively to native Florida wildlife. However, overwhelming public support led then-Governor Lawton Chiles to grant Lu honorary Florida citizenship in 1991. This rare and heartfelt decree allowed him to remain in the place he had called home for decades and solidified his status as a true Florida icon — the one and only “Florida hippopotamus.”
For more than 60 years, Lu was not just an animal in the park; he was a friend, a fixture and a treasured member of the community. Children grew up visiting him, and many returned as adults with children of their own to say hello to the gentle giant. His legacy extends beyond his impressive lifespan — he represented the deep connection between people and the animals who inspire wonder, empathy and stewardship.
Lu is survived in spirit by the devoted park rangers who cared for him, the millions of visitors whose lives he touched and the wildlife community he helped anchor. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
A memorial will be placed at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to honor Lu’s extraordinary life and legacy.
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