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Cincinnati Zoo's hippo mom Bibi and her new baby are 'inseparable'

Cincinnati Zoo's hippo mom Bibi and her new baby are 'inseparable'
everyone, we are here at the Cincinnati Zoo and I'm sure most of you have heard around 9 40 last night we had *** new hippo calf born. So we are very excited to share the news that the baby is healthy and strong and it seems to be doing really well and our most exciting news and good news is that the baby has appeared to be nursing and it seems like um that's definitely happening. And so it's hard because hippos nurse underwater but we think we've got *** really good visual and it seems to have been been going on. Everyone. We are here at the Cincinnati Zoo and I'm sure most of you have heard around 9 40 last night we had *** new hippo calf born. So we are very excited to share the news that the baby is healthy and strong and it seems to be doing really well and our most exciting news and good news is that the baby has appeared to be nursing and it seems like um that's definitely happening. So it's hard because hippos nurse underwater but we think we've got *** really good visual and it seems to have been been going on
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Cincinnati Zoo's hippo mom Bibi and her new baby are 'inseparable'
Cincinnati Zoo's hippo mom of two Bibi and her new baby are doing well as the baby gets accustomed to the hippo cove.Zoo keepers said Bibi and the baby did well overnight Friday, saying they were "inseparable and spent the night bonding in the indoor pools."The baby was born late Wednesday night."I heard this, like, plop and splat," Jenna Wingate, a senior keeper for the zoo's Africa department, said describing the moments the new baby was born. The baby weighs at least twice as much as Fiona did and is already walking.“This calf looks huge to us because Fiona, Bibi’s first baby, only weighed 29 pounds when she was born six weeks premature and wasn’t able to stand on her own," said Christina Gorsuch, Cincinnati Zoo’s director of animal care. Fiona weighed only 29 pounds at birth — 25 pounds less than the lowest recorded birth weight for her species. She survived because of her animal care team's tireless efforts to save her and has inspired many to care about her species and wildlife. “Bibi and the baby, yet to be named, will spend the next two weeks bonding behind the scenes,” said Gorsuch. “A female would take her newborn away from the bloat for about that amount of time in the wild, and we try to give Bibi the choice to do what feels natural to her.”While the new baby has yet to be named, the zoo is taking name suggestions.Submit your suggestion on the zoo's website here.The zoo says the baby and Bibi will not be visible to the public right away, but videos will be shared via social media by the Zoo.Tucker and Fiona will still be in their outdoor habitat as usual. The zoo's dad-to-be Tucker arrived in Cincinnati in September from the San Francisco Zoo.Bibi and Tucker bred in December, the zoo says.

Cincinnati Zoo's hippo mom of two Bibi and her new baby are doing well as the baby gets accustomed to the hippo cove.

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Zoo keepers said Bibi and the baby did well overnight Friday, saying they were "inseparable and spent the night bonding in the indoor pools."

The baby was born late Wednesday night.

"I heard this, like, plop and splat," Jenna Wingate, a senior keeper for the zoo's Africa department, said describing the moments the new baby was born.

The baby weighs at least twice as much as Fiona did and is already walking.

“This calf looks huge to us because Fiona, Bibi’s first baby, only weighed 29 pounds when she was born six weeks premature and wasn’t able to stand on her own," said Christina Gorsuch, Cincinnati Zoo’s director of animal care.

Fiona weighed only 29 pounds at birth — 25 pounds less than the lowest recorded birth weight for her species. She survived because of her animal care team's tireless efforts to save her and has inspired many to care about her species and wildlife.

“Bibi and the baby, yet to be named, will spend the next two weeks bonding behind the scenes,” said Gorsuch. “A female would take her newborn away from the bloat for about that amount of time in the wild, and we try to give Bibi the choice to do what feels natural to her.”

While the new baby has yet to be named, the zoo is taking name suggestions.

Submit your suggestion on the zoo's website here.

The zoo says the baby and Bibi will not be visible to the public right away, but videos will be shared via social media by the Zoo.

Tucker and Fiona will still be in their outdoor habitat as usual.

The zoo's dad-to-be Tucker arrived in Cincinnati in September from the San Francisco Zoo.

Bibi and Tucker bred in December, the zoo says.