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Fiona Has An Admirer In San Antonio Hippo

Tana Weingartner
/
WVXU
Fiona the hippo has a suitor in San Antonio.

Updated at 12:22 p.m.

The Cincinnati Zoo's famous baby hippo Fiona has plenty of admirers, mostly of the human kind—until now.

"Dear Fiona," begins the Facebook post by the San Antonio Zoo posted Thursday. "My name is Timothy. I recently moved out of my mom's house to San Antonio and currently live with my grandma, Uma, who I love very much."

Timothy's virtual courtship goes on to say that his grandfather, Tumbo, was a cover model for National Geographic magazine. "Grandma says that's where I get my great looks."

Saying he thinks Fiona is "the most beautiful hippopotamus [he's] ever seen," Timothy then asks Fiona to be his girlfriend. "I am single and available," he writes. "I hope you #HippoSwipeRight #TeamFiona."

The Cincinnati Zoo responded Friday, cautioning Timothy about Fiona's "diva" lifestyle. "She'll be with her mom for a while, so you have time to consider if you are willing to put up with her fame. Any potential mate would have to be thick skinned and okay with taking a back seat. Are you okay with paparazzi?" the zoo asked. 

More important, it added, would Timothy be willing to relocate to Cincinnati?

Fiona was born at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden on Jan. 24, 2017, weighing 29 pounds, about 25 pounds lighter than the lowest recorded birth weight for the species. With zookeepers' care, she recently celebrated her first birthday.

Timothy is 2 and is named after a benefactor of the San Antonio Zoo.

Jennifer Merritt brings 20 years of "tra-digital" journalism experience to WVXU.