A prematurely-born hippopotamus at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens reached what the zoo on April 15 called an “important milestone” by swimming in a pool that her mom and dad use.
Fiona, who has been separated from her parents since birth, while she being cared for by zoo staff, needs to learn to swim in deeper water before venturing into the outdoor hippo habitat, the zoo said.
The zoo provided an update earlier this week on the steps Fiona is undertaking in order to not only be reunited with her parents but also to meet members of the public for the first time. The zoo plans to introduce Fiona slowly to the outdoor habitat and increasingly large groups of people before her public debut. They estimated that the earliest she could meet the public would be in June.
