'That's So Cincinnati' podcast: Hippo handler Wendy Rice

Sharon Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer
·2 min read
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Fritz, little brother to famous Cincinnati Zoo hippo Fiona, has spent the days since he was born on Aug. 3 at his mom Bibi's side, nursing, swimming and getting used to his surroundings.

On Wednesday, though, he did something new: He met his world-famous big sister, Fiona.

It was reportedly just as cute as you think it would be.

Some of the zoo's hippo handlers were moving Bibi and Fritz to the hippo habitat and they had to go past a holding stall where Fiona was hanging out. The plan wasn't to introduce the two just yet, but Fritz had other ideas.

"Fritz, the brave little guy that he is, tottered over to the bollards that are keeping them in separate spaces and peeked his little nose through," said Wendy Rice, the zoo's head hippo handler. "And Fiona walked right up and kind of booped her nose to his."

It lasted just a split second.

Bibi immediately intervened and was like, "'Oh, no, no, no, no, none of that yet. You are not ready to play with the big kids yet.," Rice said. "You are not ready to play with the big kids yet."

Bibi nudged Fiona away, Rice said.

"It was a really great first interaction for them to have," Rice said. "It's everything we could have hoped to see. Fritz was appropriately curious. Fiona was appropriately polite in her interaction, and most importantly, both of them listened to Bibi."

Rice joined The Enquirer's "That's So Cincinnati" podcast this week to talk about Fritz's first few weeks. Rice said she hopes the public will get to see Fritz before the week is out.

Wendy Rice, the head keeper of the Africa exhibits at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, works with hippo Fiona in the weeks after she was born prematurely.
Wendy Rice, the head keeper of the Africa exhibits at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, works with hippo Fiona in the weeks after she was born prematurely.

Rice grew up in Northern Kentucky for a period of time and joined the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden staff 10 years ago. She said she hopes to stay at the zoo for the rest of her career.

She loves the name Fritz, chosen by the public. But Rice had a favorite of her own: Hank.

"I was really rooting for Hank because it felt like a nice little homage to Henry, Fiona's dad, that we lost several years ago," Rice said. Plus, Tucker, Fritz's father, sired the Topeka Zoo's hippo, who is known as "Tank" among zoo staffers. Rice liked the symmetry of Hank and Tank.

Fritz ended up being a great choice, she said. Rice noted Fritz is the name of the little brother in the ballet, The Nutcracker.

"In so many ways, we fully expect Fiona to go through this coming of age where it's like being an older sibling and having a younger sibling," Rice said.

Fiona seems to be aware that there is a new baby hippo on the scene getting attention, Rice said. But don't expect Fiona's worldwide fame to dim anytime soon.

Ady Fletcher, 8, top, and cousin Brinley Dunne, 7, of Loveland, watch Tucker and Fiona at Hippo Cove at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Monday, August 8, 2022. Bibi and Fritz will soon be joining big sis and dad outside.
Ady Fletcher, 8, top, and cousin Brinley Dunne, 7, of Loveland, watch Tucker and Fiona at Hippo Cove at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Monday, August 8, 2022. Bibi and Fritz will soon be joining big sis and dad outside.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Zoo's famous hippo Fiona and Fritz met with a nose boop