Fiona the hippo made news last year after being born six weeks early and 20 pounds underweight, as hippos go. Since that time she has captured the world's imagination and been photographed many times over due to her amazing survival and her insane cuteness. Now, she's turning 1, and the Cincinnati Zoo is sharing her birthday with everyone.
Fiona the Hippo
On Wednesday, January 24, Fiona will officially be 1, but on Saturday the Cincinnati Zoo had a celebration in honor of her birth, complete with hippo-appropriate birthday cake created by a zoo nutritionist on staff especially for her. This is a huge milestone for the adorable little hippo, as she really wasn't expected to make it. Now, she weighs in at over 600 pounds, proof that she is not just surviving but actually thriving.
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Thanks to the caring staff at the zoo, their round-the-clock monitoring of the rotund beauty has really paid off. She's a happy, healthy little thing — if you can call 600 pounds little — who can frequently be seen frolicking with her mother by zoo visitors, and was even a member of a recent engagement proposal that took place just outside her swimming oasis. How's that for a photobomb?
Keeping Tabs on Fiona the Hippo
If you can't get enough of Fiona and want to keep tabs on her progress, the zoo has a site specifically set up just for that purpose. It's basically a blog with all the latest info and insights into her health and well being. Naturally, it includes tons of great pictures of her, too, so you don't have to miss out on a moment of her life. She's become so popular in just one short year that the site is visited regularly by thousands of well wishers.
