Can I take her home please?
They Weren't Sure This Premature Hippo Would Make It, But Look At Her Today!
#1
Zookeepers at the Cincinnati Zoo have been working around the clock to help ensure the safety of a newborn hippopotamus.
#2
Fiona the hippo was born on January 24, nearly six weeks early, and weighed in at just 29 pounds. (Traditionally, a newborn hippo weighs anywhere from 55 to 120 pounds.) Shortly after her birth, Fiona was separated from her parents -- she's getting special attention from the zoo until she can stand and nurse entirely on her own.
#3
Fiona is kept just close enough to her mother so that they can hear and smell each other.
#4
The tiny hippo calf has experienced bouts of low energy and fatigue.
#5
Zookeepers will bottle-feed Fiona until she is able to nurse independently. During feeding time, carbon dioxide is absorbed into her lungs, causing her oxygen levels to dip.
#6
Staff has been keeping her chest to chest so that she can feel what it's like to breathe normally.
#7
Recently, Fiona’s health took a surprising turn for the better. Free from fatigue, the small hippo was able to stand and take her very first steps!