At 14, Sheri Lynch was given a small grey hippopotamus plush by her best friend. She had no idea that the birthday present would still be part of her life more than four decades later, or that it would eventually sit alongside more than a thousand other hippo-themed objects. The US collector has spent years finding hippopotamuses in places ranging from thrift shops and flea markets to fairs, antique stores and unexpected corners of her travels. Some were gifts, others were carefully chosen finds, while a few were specially made for her. By 30 July 2025, the collection had reached 1,086 items, earning Lynch the Guinness World Records title for the largest collection of hippopotamus-related items. What began with one childhood toy has since become a carefully catalogued collection filling her home in Gold Hill, Oregon, where Lynch continues to look for the next unusual hippo to add to it. The collection includes figures, toys, artwork, clothing, ornaments and other unusual pieces, each adding to a story that has grown alongside Lynch herself. For her, the appeal lies not only in the number of objects, but also in the memories attached to many of them.
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