Fiona (hippopotamus) facts for kids
.jpg)
Fiona (left) with her mother Bibi (right) in May 2018
|
|
| Species |
|
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Born | 24 January 2017 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Residence | Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Parent(s) |
|
| Mate(s) | Tucker |
Fiona was born on January 24, 2017, at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. She is a hippopotamus and became very famous because of her unique story. Fiona was the first Nile hippo whose growth was checked using ultrasound before she was born. She was also the first hippo born at the Cincinnati Zoo in 53 years.
Contents
Fiona's Story
Her Early Life
Fiona's parents are named Henry and Bibi. She was born six weeks too early on January 24, 2017. When she was born, she weighed only 29 pounds (13 kg). This was much less than the usual weight for baby hippos, which is about 55–120 pounds (25–54 kg).
Because she was so small and weak, Fiona could not stand on her own. Zoo staff had to feed her with a bottle. They used milk from her mother, Bibi, and also special infant formula. This was the first time anyone had ever collected and studied hippo milk.
The next month, Fiona started getting new teeth. She stopped wanting her bottle and became very dry. Doctors from Cincinnati Children's Hospital helped. They put a small tube into her to give her fluids directly into her body. The hospital's team, who help tiny babies, had even sent a special care package for Fiona earlier.
Growing Up
The zoo staff named the baby hippo Fiona. They thought her ears looked like the character Princess Fiona from the movie Shrek. Fiona took her first steps on February 5, 2017. By May 31, she weighed 275 pounds (125 kg). This was when she was first shown to the public.
By June, she reached a normal weight of 317 pounds (144 kg). When she was six months old, she weighed over 375 pounds (170 kg). In late August, she weighed 451 pounds (205 kg). On her first birthday, January 24, 2018, Fiona weighed more than 655 pounds (297 kg). By December 26, 2018, she was over 1,000 pounds (450 kg). On her third birthday in January 2020, she weighed 1,300 pounds (590 kg). By her fourth birthday in 2021, she weighed 1,600 pounds (730 kg).
Family at the Zoo
An 18-year-old male hippo named Tucker came to the Cincinnati Zoo. He moved from the San Francisco Zoo. This move was part of a plan by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The plan helps make sure hippos have healthy babies. The zoo slowly introduced Tucker to Fiona and Bibi. They hoped Tucker would be a good partner for Bibi.
On August 3, 2022, Fiona's half-brother, Fritz, was born at the Cincinnati Zoo. Fritz is the son of Tucker and Bibi.
Why Fiona is Famous
Online and in Books
Fiona became very popular online. A show called The Fiona Show started on Facebook in August 2017. The zoo's director, Thane Maynard, wrote a children's book about her called Saving Fiona. It was published in June 2018.
Many videos and photos of Fiona went viral on social media. One popular moment was in October 2017. A couple got engaged while Fiona watched them, and their photos became very famous. In August 2018, a large painting of Fiona was put up in downtown Cincinnati. Lucie Rice designed this mural.
Fiona in Art and Entertainment
Fiona even appeared in the Cincinnati Ballet's The Nutcracker show in December 2018. A dancer who was 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) tall played Fiona. People said Fiona "stole the show."
Since she was born, Fiona has been used to guess the winner of the Super Bowl each year. She chooses between two special items, each representing a team. In 2018, she picked the winning team. In 2019, she chose wrong. In 2020, she threw up on the item for the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs ended up winning that year!
Illustrator Richard Cowdrey has also written two books about Fiona. One of them is a Christmas book called A Very Fiona Christmas.
See also
- Moo Deng, another hippo that gained online popularity
