Premature hippo a happy hit for Ohio zoo after Harambe death
In this April 12, 2017 photo provided by the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Fiona a prematurely born hippopotamus, swims in her quarantine enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Cincinnati. Millions have seen her on video, thousands have bought “Team Fiona” T-shirts and thousands more have chomped on Fiona-themed cookies. The public embrace of the Cincinnati Zoo’s prematurely born hippopotamus has helped ease the months of backlash over the death of the zoo’s gorilla Harambe. (Courtesy Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens via AP)
In this Wednesday, April 12, 2017, photo, visitors read a sign depicting Fiona, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens’ new baby hippopotamus, as they pass through the Hippo Cove exhibit, in Cincinnati. Millions have seen her on video, thousands have bought “Team Fiona” T-shirts and thousands more have chomped on Fiona-themed cookies. The public embrace of the Cincinnati Zoo’s prematurely born hippopotamus has helped ease the months of backlash over the death of the zoo’s gorilla Harambe. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
CINCINNATI (AP) — A prematurely born hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo has been providing regular doses of happiness for animal lovers.
And all the public affection for baby Fiona has also given an emotional lift to zoo workers after months of backlash over the fatal shooting there of Harambe (huh-RAHM’-beh), a gorilla who became a pop culture phenomenon in death.
Video updates such as Fiona taking a bottle, splashing in a pool or learning to run have drawn tens of millions of online views. Thousands of people have bought TeamFiona T-shirts, and thousands more have eaten Fiona-themed bakery treats.
Zoo officials say zoos are increasingly using new ways for the public to see the animals and their care, such as the recent livestream of a giraffe giving birth in New York.