Fiona, a hippo calf born six weeks premature, on Jan. 24, now weighs at least 375 pounds. This calf seems to be really healthy, Wingate said. Weighing only 29 pounds at birth -- 25 pounds lighter than the lowest recorded birth weight for this species -- the portly princess now weighs. The sex didn't matter much to the hippo team, but it will be interesting to observe and compare the behavioral differences between a hand-raised girl and a mom-raised boy," Christina Gorsuch, the zoo's director of animal care, said in statement Monday. Zoo staffers worked night and day to keep a hippo born six weeks early alive. They both eclipse Fiona, who has not yet reached the 2,000-pound milestone," said Gorsuch. Fritz's sister is Fiona, who caught the world's attention in 2017 after she was born six weeks premature. Fiona's weight was a record-breaking low weight for a hippo, but she managed to survive against all odds, CNN previously reported. Cincinnati Zoo Welcomes New Male Hippo! Baby hippos typically weigh about 100 pounds at birth, but the tiny Fiona clocked in at only 29 pounds. From 29 to 1,500 pounds: Fiona the hippo reaches new milestone Males can reach lengths of 10.8 to. Oct. 31: Tragedy strikes the Cincinnati Zoo. ], We werent planning to welcome a baby this soon, but nature found a way and ignored our calendar, said Cincinnati Zoos director of animal care, Christina Gorsuch, in April when Bibis pregnancy was announced. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Earlier in 2021, Bibi and Tucker received a breeding recommendationfrom the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program. Fiona was named for a character in the Shrek movies. The stories of preemies and perseverance have grown with Fiona over the years, and the Cincinnati Zoo receives letters and emails from new Fiona admirers even now. Sometimes, people that are coming her from childrens hospital, Fiona just comes over and has a moment with them," Wingate said. Three years later, Fiona continues to be a phenomenon, with around 2 million fans who follow her every move on social media. Darcy Doellman and Blake Gustafson grabbed an ultrasound machine, catheters of every size and different kinds of tape when they were called to help the zoo team. We also thought it was funny that it was suggested because Fritz is here due to Bibis birth control being on the fritz.. Jan. 24, 2017: Fiona is born two months premature.