It’s Fiona day!
The baby hippo who took the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (and the world) by storm last year turned 1 year old on Wednesday.
Fiona was the first Nile hippo born at the Cincinnati Zoo in 75 years and arrived on Jan. 24, 2017, weighing just 29 pounds. The average newborn baby hippo weighs 55 to 120 pounds.
She was due in March, but came barreling into the light of day six weeks early. Because she was barely able to walk and nurse after birth, Fiona was taken care of by a round-the-clock care team, known as “Team Fiona.”
You may recognize Fiona from the zoo Facebook page’s frequent updates on her life. She’s become a hippo sensation, with a line of merchandise and even her own ice cream flavor. (We live in a weird time!)
At a year old, Fiona is happy, healthy and gaining more and more weight every day. She’s also the star of The Fiona Show on Facebook Watch. The Season 2 premiere aired Wednesday, featuring Fiona going to town on her birthday “cake,” a delicious-looking watermelon and pineapple display.
Fiona’s mother, Bibi, also helped her chow down for the birthday bash.
Fans of Fiona on Twitter have been sending her well-wishes all day.
Broadly even mapped Fiona’s astrological chart for her on this momentous day, after finding out that she was born at 2:58 a.m. at the Cincinnati Zoo.
“She’s a rebel,” wrote Broadly staff astrologer Annabel Gat in the report. “She’s an Aquarius, which is one of the most free-thinking signs in the zodiac.”
Christina Gorsuch, the Cincinnati Zoo’s curator of mammals and one of the first people to see and hold Fiona when she was born, told Broadly that the assessment seemed accurate.
“She has been curious her whole life and her fearlessness is in part the source of her strength and ability to conquer all adversity,” said Gorsuch.
We hope you have the happiest, hippest birthday, Fiona. Here’s to many more!
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