Fritz the hippo turns two!

Fritz goes for the gold in the baton grabbing competition.

 

Over the weekend, the famous Fritz, also known by friends as Tater Tot, celebrated his second birthday at Hippo Cove in the Cincinnati Zoo, along with his mom Bibi, his even more famous sister Fiona, and his father Tucker. All these photos were from Saturday's birthday celebration. I arrived just after the cake ceremony.

Fritz with his tasty "birthday cake." Photo by my friend Lisa Hubbard.

Early birds could witness Fritz getting his "birthday cake," which was an extravaganza, some colorful fruit popsicle treats stacked on top of huge lettuce leaves.  The entire bloat got some watermelon on Friday, to celebrate National Watermelon Day, which was actually Saturday. 

No, Fiona, it isn't your birthday.
(But she posed anyway in the frame.)

The Cincinnati Zoo's enrichment team had painted a birthday balloon frame, like a birthday card, onto the viewing window. Fiona took her turn posing there, pretending it was her birthday too. Since Fiona was born in January, her birthday parties are often impacted by the cold and winter weather, so this was her chance, while brother Fritz was busy playing with his favorite stick.

Fiona, now age 7, is famous the world over for her miraculous survival after being born six weeks prematurely, weighing only 29 pounds instead of the 50-100 pounds that a full term hippo baby weighs, and being unable to stand to nurse. She was raised by the keepers, and had several medical interventions to save her. Eventually, she was reintroduced to her mother Bibi, and then her father, Henry. Her journey was covered heavily on social media at the time, and since then, numerous books have been written about her. Her fans come from all over the world to see her and her hippo family at the Cincinnati Zoo. And now Fritz has gotten some notoriety too, mostly for being Fiona's little brother. 

Fritz likes to stalk unsuspecting logs, sneaking up and then attacking.
 The logs don't know what hit them.

Fritz on the prowl for logs.

Got one! Fritz does it over and over again.

Fritz really likes the long stick.
 Lots of paparazzi around to capture the moment. 

The happy birthday boy

More paparazzi,

A smile from the birthday boy.

There goes Fritz, running through the birthday frame with his family.

Fritz with his extra long stick, a favorite toy on his birthday.

Fritz also spent some time chasing his daddy Tucker around and giving him some bites, as Fritz likes to do!

Fritz gives daddy Tucker some bites. It's one of his favorite games.

Some fans even wore special Fritz birthday t-shirts for the occasion and were happy to pose with Zoo Director Thane Maynard, who stopped by to wish Fritz a happy birthday.

Fritz is only two years old, and will remain at Hippo Cover for a few more years, but will have to leave as he grows up. Although Daddy Tucker is quite tolerant and loving now, when Fritz gets older, the older hippo bull will see him as competition, and there would be fights. When the time comes, Fritz will be sent to another zoo, where he can start his own family.

We all know that Fiona isn't going anywhere. 

Fritz the Hippo's first year

 Photos and story by Molly Merrow (of course)

Here comes Fritz (age 3 months)

Welcome to Fritz's birthday week! The Cincinnati Zoo will have special treats for all the animals on Thursday, in honor of Fritz's first birthday.

How hard is it to be the little brother of the most famous hippo in the world? You would have to be very brave and bold, not to mention sassy, but Baby Fritz certainly can hold his own in this hippo family at Hippo Cove at the Cincinnati Zoo.  

He was born on August 3 of 2022, accompanied by much anticipation and excitement. The fans of the famous Fiona were following Bibi's pregnancy day by day, anxious to meet the new family member. Would it be a girl or a boy? Would it be full term? How would Fiona react? How long until the whole family could be seen together in the pool? And a name for the little one, to go with Fiona?

He arrived right on time, healthy and weighing what a normal baby hippo should weigh. Big sister Fiona, now six years old, had come prematurely and weighed only 29 pounds, while a normal baby hippo would weight 50 to 100 pounds. Fiona made history by her upbringing by human keepers, who even brought in some vascular experts from the nearby Children's Hospital when Fiona needed IV's. Fiona's precarious journey was shared day by day by the zoo on social media, and Fiona became a worldwide sensation. She was eventually able to rejoin her mother Bibi and father Henry. Sadly, Henry passed away a few months after the bloat was reunited, but at least she got to know her daddy.

Bibi and her calf remained behind the scenes for several weeks, bonding. The zoo announced the baby's name when he was two weeks old. He was dubbed Fritz.

After a few weeks, Bibi and Fritz started to spend a little time in the outdoor habitat, away from Fiona and Fritz's dad Tucker. 

Fritz at 3 weeks, with his mom Bibi.

Fritz at 3 weeks, quite well protected by his mom.

Tiny Fritz, 3 weeks old.

Fritz at 3 months and Bibi at window

When Fritz was three weeks old, Fritz and Fiona met for just a few minutes. That time was increased gradually until Mother Bibi was comfortable with her two children being together. 

Little Fritz with mom and big sister.

                        Baby Fritz, giving some sass to big sister Fiona

                                    Fritz with mom and big sister.

Fritz poses for his portrait.

Fritz had no fear, even when he was tiny

On October 13, dad Tucker was allowed to join the bloat for short periods, gradually to increase until the whole family was always out together. The following photos were taken in January, when Fritz was five months old.

                                  Fritz blowing bubbles next to Tucker.

                          Fritz is fascinated by Tucker's huge mouth.

            It looks like Tucker is giving some fatherly advice to his son.

Fritz has kisses for Dad

Blowing more bubbles with Dad Tucker

                                                        

                                      Bibi kisses her little son Fritz

                                                Baby Fritz playing with the fishies.

           And here's the whole family, Tucker, Fiona, Fritz and Bibi.

     

Fritz is a fun loving little boy, often called Tater Tot, or just Tot. Maybe because he looked like a potato when he was little?

At Bibi's birthday party in February, everyone got some treats. Here's Fritz, Bibi and Fiona at the wall with keeper Jenna.

            Bibi and the kids were at the wall begging for party treats, 

                   but Tucker was a gentleman and stayed back. 

Fritz in April at age 7 1/2 months. Clever and always up to something.

Fiona may be an international celebrity, and certainly people have been coming from all over the world to see her since she made her debut, but the arrival of Fritz has only energized her fan base. Fiona may not be the tiny little baby she was in those early years, but she is still very cute and now a proud big sister of this remarkable baby brother.

The fans just keep coming. Fiona is even more popular than before, sharing the love with her family: her mom Bibi, her step-father Tucker, and now baby brother Fritz.

Fritz and the fishies in late July 2023.

Fritz with his dad Tucker, late July 2023

Fritz is popular with the kids

Fritz, so very cute, and almost a year old.

Fritz and his fish friends - end of July 2023

Nobody puts baby in the corner,
 unless baby is after a piece of lettuce.

Snack time and Fritz, Fiona and Bibi line up.
Tucker stays back and waits for his treats to be thrown.

Sometimes Fritz is a messy eater.

Tucker and son.

So tall...

It's been a big year in the life of a little hippo. He's learned to be an important part of the bloat. He's still nursing but he's gain some independence from mom, and bonded with dad and big sister. 

There have been some not-so-fun times when Tucker pooped on Fritz's head, probably not on purpose, but at least there is a pool nearby to clean up. But mostly fun times chasing Fiona around, biting his dad on the back end, biting his sister on her ear, biting everything in sight because it is fun.

A typical Fritz love bite.

 

And learning barrel rolls, even if Tucker gets in the way....

Fritz and his barrel rolls....

It's always fun to hitch a ride on dad too.

Getting a free ride.

And then there were the birthday parties, where he got to have a few bites of Fiona's cake in January, and everyone got to share in Bibi's cake in February. Even if Fritz was mostly too young to eat a lot of solid food then.

At Bibi's party, Jenna gives Bibi some lettuce,
 and Fritz hangs around with Fiona.

It has been a big year for Fritz. And more to come in his second year. Everyone is looking forward to a big party on Thursday, August 3.