COLUMBUS, Ohio — Cincinnati Zoo’s newest member of the hippo family is beginning his adventure to the outside on Friday and is ready to see visitors through the glass.
Zookeepers have kept baby hippo Fritz and his mom behind the scenes as they bonded during the first weeks of his life, but now will be letting the two roam free in the Hippo Cove exhibit.
Fritz’s mother, 23-year-old Bibi, gave birth on Aug. 3 at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. The zoo discovered she was pregnant around April Fool’s Day and it came as a surprise since she was on birth control.
The two hippos will be rotating shifts with Fiona and Tucker.
“Fritz has navigated the deepest part of the pool, and Bibi has demonstrated that she will keep him safe,” said Cincinnati Zoo’s director of animal care Christina Gorsuch. “They were unphased when staff came to get their first glimpse of the baby and we’re confident that they’re ready for their public debut.”
Fritz’s older sister, Fiona, will be introduced to him in phases and will eventually be able to join her mom and brother, according to the zoo.
Virtual members can watch a live feed on the zoo's website.