“The hippo keepers love the name and think it’s fitting since Bibi’s birth control was apparently on the fritz. It also sounds good with Fiona!” the Zoo posted on Facebook.
The baby was born two weeks ago and the zoo made the big gender reveal a week ago.
Zoo officials said the new baby looks huge compared to its first baby hippo star, Fiona. Keepers estimated that the newborn weighed about 60 pounds at birth.
“Fiona only weighed 29 pounds when she was born six weeks premature and wasn’t able to stand on her own,” said Gorsuch.
The baby’s estimated due date was set for Aug. 15, but caretakers said a hippo’s birth window could be 30 days before or after that estimation.
Zoo officials said Bibi and her newborn will be kept separated from 5-year-old Fiona and 19-year-old Tucker so that mom and baby have plenty of time to bond.
The baby boy still isn’t visible to the public yet, but zoo members have access to cameras in the outdoor habitat and can watch all the action happening at Hippo Cove live from 8:30 a.m. 5:30 p.m.
WCPO’s Christian DeLuc contributed to this report.
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