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(Cincinnati, Oh.)--Fiona is making progress as she continues to grow at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The premature Nile hippo weighed 29 pounds at birth, which is about 25 pounds lighter than the lowest recorded birth weight for her species. The normal range is 55 to 120 pounds.
After her birth on January 24th, Fiona was being cared for round-the-clock by the zoo's nursery staff. Cincinnati Zoo an Botanical Garden Director Thane Maynard says "the staff are now checking in on her up until Midnight and then they will take a break and see her again at 5am." He says "six times a day, every three hours she is getting a bottle" with the exception of those overnight hours. Just one of those bottles holds a half a gallon each. Fiona's appetite is growing substantially as Maynard says she sucks the bottle down in about 20 seconds.
Maynard is hoping that Fiona will continue to develop on schedule and they would like to get her out for the public to see some time in June.
Maynard says it "really has taken a village to raise baby Fiona."
Listen below as Maynard discuss his overseas trip and meeting Fiona fans and the importance of Children's hospitals involvement in her care.