Бегемотиха Фиона: как выхаживают недоношенную малышку

Get a firsthand account of baby hippo Fiona's birth & first days from one of her caregivers in our new blog (link in bio ☝️). (?: Dan T.) #teamfiona #hippo #fionafix #cincinnatizoo #cincinnati #hippo

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Feb 12, 2017 at 9:17am PST

The premature baby hippo born early yesterday morning, six weeks before her due date, remained stable overnight and is receiving around-the-clock intensive care from Zoo vets and animal care staff. Her mom, Bibi, is doing fine and, because of her experience standing still for ultrasounds, is allowing milk to be collected. Vets are adding mom’s milk to a fluid mixture that is being tube-fed to the baby. She is still too weak to stand but the nutrients she’s receiving should help her gain strength. Visit cincinnatizoo.org for updates. #hippo #cincinnatizoo #cincinnati #closeenoughtocare #TeamFiona

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Jan 25, 2017 at 12:28pm PST

Seventeen-year-old hippo Bibi gave birth early this morning to a female calf. The premature calf was not expected until March and is receiving critical care from vet and nursery staff since the baby was not able to stand to nurse from mom. More details on our website (link in bio☝️) #hippo #cincinnatizoo #cincinnati #closeenoughtocare #TeamFiona

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Jan 24, 2017 at 11:02am PST

The fight to nurse our premature baby hippo to health continues. At this morning’s AM wellness check the zoo veterinarians found that the hippo baby's glucose levels were low and her Ph levels were off. They have inserted an IV for fluids, dextrose, and supportive supplements as needed to get numbers up to where they should be. She has been gaining weight steadily since she was born, on January 24, but did not gain any weight since yesterday. It is not uncommon for premature babies to experience difficulty with digestion and regulating their metabolism. The animal care staff is adjusting her formula and supplements in order to aid with digestion. Her care team continues to work around the clock to help her stabilize and gain strength. #hippo #closeenoughtocare #cincinnati #cincinnatizoo #TeamFiona

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Jan 30, 2017 at 9:00am PST

Baby Fiona has a little more energy this morning and has shown some suckling response. Her care team received a package from the preemie team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital that included signed superhero capes, a pre-filled baby book, a stuffed hippo, a beautiful note and much more. Thank you! Many of you have asked what you can do to help. We ask that you consider making a donation to help with the cost of 24-hour-a-day critical care. Visit the link in bio to donate. #cincinnati #cincinnatizoo #hippo #closeenoughtocare #TeamFiona

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Feb 2, 2017 at 9:54am PST

Fiona remains in stable condition today. To regulate her oxygen intake and minimize the dive reflex, caregivers position her chest to chest so she can feel normal breathing. Her premature lungs absorb CO2 when she holds her breath (dive reflex) and cause oxygen levels to dip. #closeenoughtocare #cincinnatizoo #cincinnati #hippo #TeamFiona

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Feb 4, 2017 at 7:59am PST

Hooray! Fiona continues to improve and gain weight. She's hit the 40lbs mark! Going forward we will not be doing daily updates but we promise to keep you informed of her progress on a regular basis. Visit cincinnatizoo.org for past and future Fiona updates. #closeenoughtocare #cincinnatizoo #cincinnati #teamfiona #hippo

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Feb 9, 2017 at 8:43am PST

Fiona continues to improve but still needs 24/7 care from vets, nursery, animal and nutrition staff. She needs O2 to make sure that the oxygen levels in her blood stay in the normal range. Thank you for your continued support to help cover the cost of her care and medical supplies. Donations are still welcome and needed. Visit cincinnatizoo.org (Link in bio) to donate. #closeenoughtocare #cincinnatizoo #cincinnati #teamfiona #hippo

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Feb 8, 2017 at 8:00am PST

Dr. Jenny gives Fiona her morning check up. She gained almost a pound since yesterday but got most of her nutrition via tube. Hoping bottle feeding improves when tusks break through. She continues to get supplemental oxygen via nasal cannula. #TeamFiona #hippo #cincinnati #cincinnatizoo #fionafix

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Feb 16, 2017 at 7:50am PST

‪Fiona is still getting fluids via IV and doing a little better on the bottle. Baby steps in the right direction! #TeamFiona ‬#closeenoughtocare #cincinnati #cincinnatizoo #fionafix #hippo

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Feb 19, 2017 at 7:39am PST

Fiona has graduated to a big girl bottle and has a big girl appetite to match! Check out her milk mustache. #teamfiona #fionafix #hippo #closeenoughtocare #cincinnati #cincinnatizoo

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Mar 1, 2017 at 8:34am PST

Fiona's animal care staff appreciates your love and support. Jenna takes time to show Fiona some of her fan mail. #TeamFiona #fionafix #cincinnatizoo #cincinnati #hippo #closeenoughtocare

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Mar 4, 2017 at 9:35am PST

With Fiona’s recent weight gain and improved health, it’s only natural that many of us are thinking about the distant future and asking how and when Fiona might be reunited with Bibi and Henry. Find the answers on our blog: blog.cincinnatizoo.org. #teamfiona #fionafix #closeenoughtocare #cincinnatizoo

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Mar 7, 2017 at 12:50pm PST

Large and in charge! Fiona weighed in at 116 pounds this morning and gets stronger every day! Adult Nile hippos weigh an average of 3500 pounds and can crush a crocodile with their jaws and sharp teeth! #teamfiona #fionafix #hippo #closeenoughtocare #cincinnatizoo #cincinnati

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Mar 29, 2017 at 10:24am PDT

“What are you lookin at?” Fiona does not actually only have eyes for herself. Hippos have dichromatic vision, which means that they see in two colors and would not process images on a screen the way we do. She does often keep a close eye on what her caregivers are doing, which in this case is checking out the latest baby hippo Facebook update! #fionafix #closeenoughtocare #cincinnati #cincinnatizoo #hippo #TeamFiona

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on May 2, 2017 at 9:01am PDT

Fiona has started to explore the outdoor habitat at Hippo Cove after hours. She is not yet ready for her public debut but getting comfortable in the outdoor environment is a step in the right direction. Zoo employees have been standing on the other side of the glass during after-hour pool sessions that last about an hour. Members of Fiona’s care team swim with her to make sure she isn’t struggling and to keep her company. Under normal circumstances, she would be with her parents or a larger bloat. Since she was born six weeks premature and was unable to stand to nurse, human caregivers had to step in to take care of her. For now, they are her bloat. #hippo #cincinnatizoo #closeenoughtocare #fionafix #TeamFiona #cincinnati

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on May 31, 2017 at 3:31pm PDT

Fiona is doing well in the outdoor pool but isn’t ready for public viewing just yet. Navigating the deep water takes a lot of energy, so her evening introductions last about an hour. She’s been going out after the Zoo closes with employees and volunteers standing on the other side of the glass to get her used to seeing faces. We will continue to update you daily on her progress. #cincinnatizoo #closeenoughtocare #TeamFiona #fionafix #cincinnati #hippo

A post shared by Cincinnati Zoo (@cincinnatizoo) on Jun 1, 2017 at 7:51am PDT