Hippo stuck in a pool sounds like one of those funny comedies from the 80s. It would feature a ragtag group of teenagers who find themselves having to care for a hippo that magically appears in the backyard pool. They would later have to defend the hippo from the poachers next door, and learn something about themselves in the process. Unfortunately, the real hippo that was stuck in a pool this week does not have a happy ending.

Harry the hippo as he’s called was found stuck in a swimming pool at a South African lodge three days ago. Rescue teams attempted to rescue the Harry, but he died before they could get him out with a crane. It’s much sadder when you learn the specifics of hy he was in the pool in the first place.

It turns out that Harry was chased away by his herd. There were a few males in the herd that were wanting to be the alpha males, and Harry couldn’t stand up to them. He ran into the pool as a way to get away from those who wanted him out. Unfortunately, there was no way out of the pool for the poor guy as stairs were non-existent.

A team spent three days pouring water on the hippo in an attempt to keep him hydrated while they waited for the crane to arrive. They were also feeding him to keep the guy nourished, but it just wasn’t enough in the end.

Here’s to you, Harry the Hippo.

[h/t: AP]