Tyson the stray hippo captured

Mexico City : A stray hippopotamus that had been roaming around the countryside in Mexico has been captured after a 10-day hunt and relocated to a wildlife refuge, authorities said yesterday.

“Tyson,” as locals had named the stray hippo, drew a large fan following -- and even inspired his own Facebook page -- after mysteriously showing up several weeks ago in a rural area in Las Choapas, in the eastern state of Veracruz.

But with locals flocking to take his picture, feed him and even pet him, Mexican environmental authority Profepa feared a tragedy in the making. Nile hippopotami are notoriously dangerous, and have been known to maul and even devour people.

“Since this is an exotic species of African origin and its presence in the fields of the Las Choapas municipality posed a high risk to people and the ecosystem ... Profepa launched a special operation to relocate him to a secure site,” the authority said in a statement.