CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden announced Monday morning that the baby hippo born earlier this month has a name: Fritz.
The zoo began taking suggestions on Aug. 8 from the public, and said within two days, it collected 90,000 comments from every state and more than 60 counties. The hippo care team then narrowed down the options to two names: Fritz and Ferguson.
The zoo said Fritz got a little over half of the more than 220,000 votes.
“We would have been happy with either name, but we really think the name Fritz fits this spunky little guy’s personality,” said Cincinnati Zoo’s head hippo keeper Wendy Rice. “We also thought it was funny that it was suggested because ‘Fritz’ is here due to Bibi’s birth control being ‘on the fritz.'”
Bibi, who is also the mother to internet sensation Fiona the hippo, gave birth to baby boy Fritz on Aug. 3. The zoo announced news of the pregnancy in April, but it came as a surprise because Bibi had been on birth control.
The zoo said Fiona and the dad hippo, Tucker, have stayed out of Bibi’s way while she bonds with Fritz. While Fiona and Tucker will be out and about for the public to see, it may be a while yet before the public meets Fritz as zoo keepers want to make sure the mother and baby have time together.
