An adorable hippo calf sipping milk from a bottle is the most heartwarming thing you’ll see all day
Well, here’s something that could turn the most steel-hearted individual into a weeping pile of mush: a video of an adorable hippo calf sipping milk from a bottle. We assure you, it is beyond cute and you will definitely discover what it feels like to fall in love with a baby hippo at first glance.
This amazing sight for sore eyes is a premature female hippo calf that was born six weeks early at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on Tuesday, January 24, to a 17-year-old hippo named Bibi (squealing because how cute is that name?).
This marks the first time in 75 years that the zoo has had a Nile hippo birth, so hooray for this historic hippopotamus moment.
According to a recent blog post by the Cincinnati Zoo, this breathtakingly adorable hippo was supposed to be born in March, and weighs 29 pounds, which is far below the typical 55-120 pounds. Since the calf couldn’t nurse from her mom, the zoo’s calf care team has been feeding the baby her mom’s milk and some specially prepared supplemental formula from a bottle, and we cannot stop watching this heartwarming footage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVWyJZ4z4sg?feature=oembed
We have nothing but endless heart eyes emojis for those random chin strokes.
"We are giving her fluids and keeping her moist and warm," said Christina Gorsuch, who serves as the Cincinnati Zoo's curator of mammals. "Her little system is underdeveloped, and getting her to a healthy weight will be a challenge. Vets and animal staff are doing everything they can to get her through this critical time."
Needless to say, we’re already in love with this precious hippo calf and look forward to keeping up with her progress.
