CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo announced Monday that Bibi the Nile hippo is pregnant, which will make the zoo’s famous Fiona a big sister.
Bibi’s “big bundle of joy” is expected to arrive in late summer, according to the Cincinnati Zoo.
The zoo said the goal this time is to provide additional support to Bibi, 23, in hopes of her carrying the baby to full term. Fiona, born in 2017, arrived six weeks early and required critical care to ensure her survival, according to zoo officials.
The news came after the zoo hinted that one of its residents was pregnant, WXIX reported.
Bibi is receiving hormone supplements and will undergo ultrasounds on a regular basis to monitor the health and growth of the calf, Cincinnati Zoo officials said.
Tucker, an 18-year-old male hippo who arrived at the zoo in September, is the father, zoo officials said.
Fiona is a global sensation. In 2017, The New York Times did a profile on Fiona and her viral following, calling her “our bundle of social media joy.”