CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s famous hippo siblings met for the very first time on Wednesday.
Fritz, born on Aug.3, joined his 23-year-old mom Bibi in the zoo’s Hippo Cove exhibit where he was introduced to his 5-year-old sister Fiona.
Zookeepers kept baby hippo Fritz and his mom behind the scenes as they bonded during the first weeks of his life, but as of Aug. 19, the two have been able to roam free in the exhibit. They plan to introduce Fritz to Fiona in phases.
"This first intro went very well. Bibi was appropriately protective of Fritz but was not aggressive toward Fiona. The exposure was brief but a great first step," said Christina Gorsuch, Cincinnati Zoo’s director of animal care in a news release.
Gorsuch added that the three hippos will continue to be put together for short periods of time until zookeepers believe they are comfortable. Tucker, the zoo’s male hippo, will be introduced to Fritz at a later date.
The Hippo Cove will be closed during introductions, and the live hippo cams which are available to members and virtual members will be turned off, according to the zoo.
