CINCINNATI, Ohio (WCPO) — When Fiona the hippo was born at the Cincinnati Zoo 6 months untimely, her survival captivated not just the metropolis, but much of the planet. So when it was introduced that her mother, Bibi, was pregnant with one more calf, zoo staff members was right away engaged in generating sure the little one is born devoid of any considerations.
Portion of insuring her calf’s health and fitness is a regular process most human moms encounter — ultrasounds.
Enter veterinarian Julie Barnes. Just about every 7 days, Barnes does anything couple of individuals have accomplished: performs an ultrasound on a hippo. Having it finished is the hard element. Soon after all, Bibi weighs in excess of 3,000 lbs.
“That’s a testament to the animal care team that functions with Bibi,” Barnes said.
Using romaine lettuce to feed Bibi, the treatment workforce, Barnes stated, has properly trained the hippo to lean versus a railing. That’s when Barnes swoops in, ultrasound wand at the completely ready.
“And she does this all voluntarily, and we could not do that without the need of her getting in a position to do that for us,” Barnes said.
These ultrasounds present Barnes and the treatment team that Bibi’s calf is growing. In actuality, with about 8 months to go, the calf is about the similar bodyweight Fiona was when she was born. They can see that her heart is beating well — even the fluttering of the calf’s ft.
Contemplating Fiona was born early, these ultrasounds are also training veterinarians and the care team about a hippo’s gestation.
“It truly is awesome,” Barnes stated. “Not many persons can say they’ve ultrasounded a hippo.”
Hippo Cove, where Bibi, Fiona and Tucker live, is the zoo’s biggest attract, so there is pressure to make guaranteed that Bibi’s little one is born healthy and delighted.
“It is remarkable,” claimed Barnes, who is now obtaining her master’s in biology at the College of Cincinnati. “You journey this superior, but it’s like they explained, strolling on eggshells right until every thing is mentioned and done. Due to the fact you you should not you don’t want just about anything to go improper.”
When Bibi’s calf eventually arrives, Barnes stated they’re going to at last get to get a breath.
“And my gosh, we’re gonna all have a celebration after that — as will the rest of Cincinnati, I am guaranteed,” Barnes claimed.
Bibi is expected to be full expression in early August.
This tale was at first reported by Tanya O’Rourke on wcpo.com.