CINCINNATI — Calling all Fritz and Fiona (and Bibi and Tucker) fans.
Somehow, hippo baby Fritz has already made it past his 2-month-old mark. Remember when he was born in the dark at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on Aug. 3? The next morning, senior keeper Jenna Wingate described it all, noting, “I heard a plop.”
We’ve tried to hold back from bombarding her with questions for a while, and now, she has graciously agreed to give us an update!
Q: Now that Fritz is adjusting to life in Hippo Cove and spending time getting to know his big sister, with their mom present, how is Bibi juggling being a mom of two?
A: Bibi is focusing on her youngest calf, as she should, but also allowing him to explore and interact with Fiona more every day.
Q: How long do hippo babies nurse?
A: Hippo calves usually nurse anywhere from eight months to a year. Fritz is still nursing and has been exploring solid foods (lettuce and bits of hay) since he was about 2 weeks old. (At his last weigh-in he was a healthy 255 pounds.)
Q: How are the siblings getting along?
A: Fritz is very curious about Fiona, but she is still a little nervous about allowing Fritz to interact with her for too long because she wants to make sure she is respecting Bibi’s boundaries. Fritz can often be seen mouthing Fiona’s face while she patiently allows it, and those mouthing interactions are usually followed with Fritz enthusiastically running after her when she leaves him.
Q: How’s the proud dad? Does Tucker have any contact with Fritz?
A: Tucker is doing well with his nose-to-nose interactions. He is very patient and allows Fritz to mouth his face without reacting. He had his first encounter with the full bloat Oct. 13. He took Bibi’s cues and gave Fritz space when she indicated that he should.
Q: And how about Tucker and Fiona?
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A: Tucker and Fiona are getting along really well and spend about half of the day together and all night overnight sleeping together. They are only separated when Fiona is spending time with Fritz and Bibi. All our hippos get the same high-quality care and attention they always have.
