Fiona the Baby Hippo Practices Her Deep Water Surfacing Skills After Hours In the Outdoor Pool

Fiona, the sweet baby hippo who was born prematurely at the end of January 2017, has been practicing her deep water surfacing techniques in the outdoor pool after the Cincinnati Zoo closes for the day. While she is getting stronger every day, Fiona is not yet ready for her public debut. The deeper water is still very challenging, requiring more energy and tiring her out more easily. Additionally, Fiona is not used to big crowds of people, so zoo employees helped to get her acclimated to humans just by standing on the other side of the viewing glass. The zoo is keeping a sharp eye on Fiona and will announce when she is ready to join the other hippos in the outdoor pool full-time.

Fiona, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s famous four-month-old hippo calf, has started to explore the outdoor habitat at Hippo Cove after hours. She is not yet ready for her public debut but is getting comfortable in the outdoor environment is a step in the right direction.

A different view of Fiona’s outdoor swimming adventure.