Baby hippo born prematurely takes first steps after intensive care

By Sean Dowling, Buzz60

This is Fiona the little hippo. It's a miracle the little lady is taking her first steps.

That's because she was born six weeks premature and underweight.

Baby hippos usually weigh 55 to 120 pounds.

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Fiona weighs just 29 pounds.

She was too weak to stand and couldn't nurse on her own.

Zookeepers at the Cincinnati Zoo have been with her day and night.

They would snuggle Fiona chest to chest so she could feel normal breathing.

It's to regulate her oxygen intake.

They've also been giving her formula through a feeding tube.

But zookeepers say Fiona finally gulped down formula on her own and took her first steps.

The video has been watched over 114,000 times.

Staffers hope Fiona keeps showing progress.

In the meantime, she's being nursed close to her parents.