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Doctor loses custody of hippo 

ESCONDIDO – A doctor who kept a rare pygmy hippopotamus in his back yard for a decade before it was seized by authorities defended his treatment of the animal and claimed critics were spreading lies about him. 

Arthur Stehly, 63, said he always kept a variety of unusual animals, including emus, ostriches, deer, goats, tortoises, pheasants and camels, while his 10 children were growing up. 

He said the hippo, which had a skin condition that caused it to bleed, was well-fed and happy. But the hippo did not like to use its 3-foot-deep pond in the winter, Stehly said Friday. 

“Then she would get scaly skin,” he said. “She would scratch it on the side and bleed a little, but it wasn’t bad.” 

No charges were filed against Stehly for keeping the animal. The hippo was seized eight months ago, but Stehly has not spoken about the incident until now. 

The 500-pound hippo, which has been kept at an animal rehabilitation center in Escondido, is being moved to Black Beauty Ranch, a refuge in Texas where it will have grass, shade trees and a large pool. 

Trip ends short 

SANTA CRUZ – A 67-year-old Montara man has given up his quest to float across the Pacific Ocean in his homemade raft – at least for now. 

Andrew Urbanczyk and his redwood raft were hauled into Santa Cruz Harbor on Friday. 

He was headed to Japan or Hawaii or wherever the winds would take him. He traveled with a cat and a couple dragonflies on his 40-by-20-foot, two-masted raft. “The Nord” was seven huge redwood logs lashed together with rope. 

Urbanczyk, a world-class sailor who has set records sailing solo across oceans, said he will try to make his trip again after he builds a smaller raft. 

Urbanczyk left Pillar Point Harbor near Half Moon Bay a week ago. He gave up his quest after circling around in nearly calm seas 60 miles off Santa Cruz. 

Cops cheat on promotion exam 

SANTA ANA – Results of a police promotion exam were tossed out after officials discovered that some of the 107 officers taking the test had an advance look at the questions. 

The City Attorney’s Office was investigating how the questions on an exam given to officers seeking promotions to corporal were leaked. 

After the city completes its probe, the case will be turned over to the department’s internal affairs division, Mario Carona, a spokesman for the Santa Ana Police Department, said Friday. 

Any officers who were found to have cheated could be fired, demoted or reprimanded, he said.