Catch-Up Session For those of you who missed the live program on Food for Thought on line with actor and animal...
Welcome to a New House Hippo
PLEASE JOIN US at the ONDAATJE THEATRE, ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, South Kensington, London, UK Date and time: 21st OCTOBER, 2026, doors open with bar available at 6.15pm, event begins 7.15pm to 10.15pm. Ticket price £25, and £15 for RGS members.
https://turgwetrust.org/donate-to-help/
To buy tickets please follow the above link and select the donate in £'s. Donate the amount for the number of tickets required and Karen will forward them to you.
Hear about feeding wildlife especially the Turgwe Hippos and many other wild animals in severe droughts where they all would have perished. Presented by Karen Paolillo the founder of the Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Watch video footage filmed from trail cameras in situ at the feeding areas during the 2024 drought. See unusual and interesting footage of various wild animals that fed during that 10-month period. Hippos, Elephants, buffalo, warthogs, wildebeest, zebra etc.
Meet Anthony Martin CBE, of the AVM Foundation.
Watch 15-minute film created by Actor, Filmmaker and Producer Dan Richardson. Filmed on site in Zimbabwe in July at Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Meet Actor and Animal Advocate and Auctioneer for the evening PETER EGAN, After Life, Death at a funeral, Downton Abbey, Chariots of Fire and so much more from stage and screen. Also meet Actor Mark Bonnar, Shetlands, Napoleon etc.
Donate to a cause that helps not just the Turgwe Hippos but any wildlife in the area. Protecting them from poaching, sport hunting, and natural events such as droughts and floods. People that step in every single day to keep them all safe and alive in the wild.
Purchase one or both books, A HIPPO LOVE STORY or HIPPOS A MONGOOSE AND ME published by Penguin South Africa, written and personally signed by Karen Paolillo; memoir and stories about living and protecting hippos and other wild animals in a remote area of the African bush for over three decades.
Purchase ‘Legacy of Love’, a book that celebrates the relationship between animals and actors, artists, photographers, animal charity founders; this includes the Turgwe Hippo Trust.
Purchase the 2027 Turgwe Hippo Trust hippo calendar presenting some of the hippos of the Turgwe River or the 2027 wild animals calendar. Images for both calendars by Karen Paolillo.
Join all of us for an inspiring evening learning more about the hippos, one of Africa’s iconic species, and helping to protect the Turgwe Hippos to continue their wild lives in the south east lowveld of Zimbabwe within the Turgwe River.
Auction items:
1)Stay for 2 people with Karen and Jean-Roger at Hippo Haven, headquarters of the Turgwe Hippo Trust in Zimbabwe for 9 nights, which can include 2 nights in the Gona Re Zhou National Park at a rustic bush camp where you pay National Parks for that experience. Jean-Roger and Karen Paolillo will personally drive you there (2 hours from Hippo Haven) and bring and prepare the food.This does not include air tickets to Zimbabwe or travel by courier service Harare to Hippo Haven and Return. (5-hour drive).Jean-Roger and Karen Paolillo will pick you up at the entrance to the Conservancy which is 70 kilometres from Hippo Haven and return you to the boom at the end of you stay , where you will be collected by the Courier service.
Accommodation in Harare at your own cost, the Paolillo’s can suggest hotels and guest lodges. Dates this is available at this moment are between June to end of September, date to be arranged with the Paolillos by end of November 2026. Winter months in Zimbabwe i.e. cooler nights June to August. August and September hotter around 30 degrees in August in daytime but it can go as high as 36 degrees in September, climate change notwithstanding.You may be lucky enough to meet Max hippo, the Turgwe Hippo Trust house hippo if he is still visiting the house in 2027.
2) Oil Painting: - by Zimbabwean artist ANT FYNN
CHITAKE
CHITAKE This is one of several paintings I have done of Zimbabwe’s Chitake Springs, one of the wonders of the wildlife world. The Chitake river bed itself is sandy and dry for most of the year, flanked on both sides by cliffs gouged out by the river over hundreds of years. On top of the cliffs the iconic towering baobab trees, perhaps a thousand years old, add to the grandeur of this gem of wild Africa. A spring wells up and is the only water for many miles. When myself and my family camp here the best times are when we are alone – just us with no noise other than those of a wild world that pays no attention to us. On the occasion of this painting the Cape Buffalo herd of over a thousand has not yet arrived, the lion pride of over 30 individuals is waiting patiently in the shade of the giant baobabs, and the elephant have ambled up for their midday drink. Small numbers of Impala are left after the main herd has finished drinking, Helmeted Guineafowl have arrived, and huge numbers of Cape Turtle Doves are milling around, drinking as fast as they can, then leaving in a flash of wings before the Lanner Falcons strike. This is raw untamed Africa at its best and a paradise for me as an artist.
3) Pastel painting includes frame approximately 24 x 38 inches by British artist RICHARD SYMONDS
Lion
Richard Symonds passion and commitment to wildlife spans over 20 years.
He has held a number of exhibitions and auctions in and around London including Christies and Sotheby’s and his work can be found in private and corporate collections worldwide.
In 2006 Richard hit the headlines with his life size oil painting of an African bull elephant which sold for a staggering $100,000 to a private collector. With a large donation from that sale going to the Born Free Foundation. Richard has always pledged to himself that whilst making his living from his wildlife art it only feels right to balance his success with giving back to the wild by raising funds through the sale and auctions of his originals and prints.
4) Framed embellish print size 658mm x 365mm Image size 450mm x 150mm HIPPO by British artist GARY HODGES
I've known about Karen's dedication towards hippos, warthogs and other creatures living loly to her area for a few years now and am happy to help through my art whenever possible. So when she contacted me recently about her latest event being organised for the Turgwe Hippo Trust, I chose this special framed print for her auction at the Royal Geographical Society. Having the THT patron, Peter Egan as the esteemed auctioneer will surely help as he's one of the good guys, involved in many wildlife charities.
Besides 'Hippo' being an embellished print, which means I have personally added many thousands of new pencil strokes over many hours on top of the print making it more dynamic and quite unique. It becomes much closer to an original drawing and this particular copy has also been co-signed by two shining lights of the conservation world, Dame Virginia McKenna and Rula Lenska.
I've been fortunate to have witnessed serene scenes like this many times over the past 36 years, in Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, Botswana and most of all in South Luangwa, Zambia where hippos abound in their thousands.
5) Bespoke silver hippo by Zimbabwean silversmith and sculptor of Luxury brands PATRICK MAVROS
6) One-off stoneware hippo 45cm long x 24cm deep x 29.5cm high by UK artist SUZIE MARSH
Suzie’s animal sculptures have gained great acclaim over the last 35 years and she now has a loyal following both in the UK and abroad. She has undertaken many private and business commissions including sculpture exhibits for a museum in Taiwan and two public installations, one of Nelson the Seal at Looe Harbour in Cornwall, the other of Police Dog Finn at Layston Court Gardens, Buntingford, Hertfordshire. Her work reflects her love of animals and her fascination with their character and form. She often produces work to aid animal charities close to her heart and this has taken her to the Animals Asia bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam as well as the Turgwe Hippo Trust in Zimbabwe. In recognition of her own four cats who double as artist’s models, Suzie is also a keen supporter of Cats Protection. Her initial work is in clay and her originals can then be cast in bronze resin and/or foundry bronze. All of her work is suitable for the home or garden.
7) Hippo Sculpture by Zimbabwean Gift C. Rusere
The Turgwe Hippo Trust does its best to promote indigenous artists by suggesting to guests and volunteers which markets to visit. In Gift’s case many of the Trust’s volunteers have purchased his work as his talent shines through in the details and accuracy of the shape and look of the wild animals he sculpts.
We so look forward to meeting you all and hope you have a wonderful evening with us.
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Dearest Karen and wonderful creatures, my heart goes out to you all at this terrible time and I pray so much that these evil acts be stopped very soon?! Humans are the worst species on the planet! Thinking of you all so very much and sending many hugs to you too, lots of love Mary xxxxx
And thank you so much for the wonderful information that Max loves your home and is visiting you.
I’m so happy that it’s Max, my beloved godchild. And thank you also for the beautiful pictures of him.
Max has an injury on his nose… is it Kuchek’s?? Did the two meet again??
The information regarding the elephants and their fate is very sad, though. It’s incomprehensible that such people have a right to live on this earth and can do such things to those proud and intelligent animals. It’s really a disaster.
You created an animal paradise and don’t deserve such an environment. I wish you continued strength to fight for the lives of the elephants. And I wish Jean-Roger good nerves and lots of patience as you vent your anger and despair.
Thank you so much and lots of love to you and the hippos.
Marianne
Thank you Marianne for your very kind words they mean the world to me and to all of us here. Max is so special like his wonderful brother Steve. Max knows how to inspire me and keep me going. Love Karen and all the hippos
Wonderful to hear about Max, and loved seeing the cats checking him out (I have a tuxedo cat too)
However, I was appalled and deeply saddened by the news about the elephants. Only truly vile people could ever consider killing such beautiful and intelligent creatures. I wish you the strength and encourage to endure this awful time.
Love and hugs, Susan x
thanks Susan for your support and yes strength is needed here and thankfully Max is my biggest supporter 🙂 love and hippo hugs Karen and all the hippos
Thit thank you Evie for your very kind words and yep it is beyond reason what is happening and I have to believe that translocation can step in soon and stop the killings. Love Karen and all the hippos
Thank you Karen for the update and for lettings know about Max. How devastating to learn of the elephant cull. A horrendous tragedy that in this day and age that elephants are being culled. It is sickening and I can understand your outrage. People can be so heartless. Elephants have such strong family ties. Thank you for the crucial work you are doing in helping the hippos and so many other animals! I’m so grateful as are the supporters of your Hippo Haven.
Wishing you peace and comfort in knowing what you are doing for animals is so critical. You are making a difference!
Keep up the amazing effort and kudos to your loving and understanding husband!
Love,
Evie
Beautiful pictures of Max and the other animals. He’s a handsome boy!
It’s terrible what is happening to the elephants. Much love to you and the animals during this difficult time .
Thank you Lisa for caring love and hippo hugs
Thank you Evie it always means so much to me to read such lovely comments. Yes it looks like paradise but when your heart and soul is in total empathy with wild animals it is extremely hard at times to understand how man can still in this day and age kill animals for pleasure or so called management. If we “managed people” in the same way we would be locked up and the keys thrown away if we were lucky so how come it can be still allowed to do this to animals.