If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you may not have heard about the Cincinnati zoo’s newest social media icon, Fiona the hippo. If this is the case, you’ve got some catching up to do. Brief overview: Fiona was born in the Cincinnati Zoo at just 29 pounds (which is seriously premature for a baby hippo). As updates were posted by the zoo on social media, Fiona’s prognosis wasn’t good, but she quickly beat the odds to the joy and admiration of her newly-found fan base.
Since then, Fiona has won over the hearts of America with her sassy attitude, zest for life and straight-up cuteness. In case you’re still not convinced, here are 16 reasons why Fiona the hippo is everyone’s BFF:
1. She was the underdog we were all rooting for
The odds were stacked against young Fiona. Although it may sound like a lot on human terms, Fiona was born at only 29 pounds. The average baby hippo is typically anywhere from 55 to a whopping 120 pounds at birth. Entering the world an unhealthy, premature baby hippo — Fiona quickly caught up and regained her health and vitality. Watching Fiona transform from frail baby to an independent social media mogul was truly inspiring. Who doesn’t love a classic underdog story?
2. She’s a body positivity icon
Because of Fiona’s initial health struggles, every pound gained means another success for Miss Fiona. The Cincinnati Soo’s constant updates about Fiona’s quickly-growing weight inspired an unexpected movement of body positivity among humans. Every neck roll, curve, and wrinkle on Fiona’s lil’ body mean another step towards healthy hippo adulthood. Many pop icons preach body positivity, but Fiona is truly out here promoting and living beauty in all of its many forms. We all need a little more Fiona-esque self-love and body acceptance in our lives.
3. We get to watch her learn and grow every day
Fiona did that! When will your fav celeb post a picture of themselves doing literally nothing but standing and receive this amount of positive feedback? Never! Thanks to the Cincinnati Zoo’s constant updates, we are always in the loop about Fiona’s new talents and developments. Fiona’s every movement and milestone is met with overwhelming love and admiration from her internet fan base. Stand tall, Fiona. We’re all behind you.
4. She inspired this absolute banger of a song
Not only did Miss Fiona inspire a nation, she inspired this chart-topping song written just for her on her 6-month birthday. What other babies do you know inspiring full-length songs and a music video? That’s what we thought. Following her birth as a tiny bean of a hippo to her growth into a full-sized diva, this song is national anthem-worthy. Watching this video will make you laugh, cry, hop in your car and head straight to the Cincinnati Zoo.
5. Because she’s a curvy calendar model
At the tender age of eight months old, Fiona has scored a calendar deal. Making (literal) waves for models of all shapes, sizes and species; Fiona is a force to be reckoned with. The world is waiting impatiently for Fiona’s calendar debut, after over 75,000 adoring fans voted on this cover image. Fiona looks a winning combination of precious, fierce, fearless and absolutely adorable. If you’re looking for potential stocking-stuffers and holiday gifts, look no further. Strike a pose, Fiona!
6. Because she’s a clean-eating health goddess
Maintaining her signature curves is no walk in the park (or should we say, swim in the zoo?). Fiona is a strict vegetarian, opting for a plant-based diet rather than meat. Can you say commitment? After this tweet from the Cincinnati Zoo, fans of Fiona deemed Fiona the new face of the clean eating movement. Not only does Fiona cater to her human fans, Fiona would quite literally never hurt a fly, or a fish. Keep it up Fiona, and don’t forget to keep us updated with your health secrets.
7. Because she has inspired a hard-hitting docu-series
For those of us who just can’t get enough Fiona (i.e., everyone), the Cincinnati Zoo recently announced that they will be debuting The Fiona Show on Facebook. For fans hanging on to every tweet, Instagram and Facebook status, this documentary series is truly a game-changer. Every Tuesday, Fiona stans will be able to catch a glimpse into the life of their favorite pop culture sensation. Rumor has it, the documentary will begin with rare, exclusive footage of Fiona’s birth!
8. Because she posts #relatable content like this
Stars, they’re just like us! Even Miss Fiona is a victim of the Monday blues. Thanks to her loyal team at the zoo, we can all find Fiona-based memes, pictures, and health updates via the Cincinnati Zoo’s Instagram account. If you’re having a day where getting out of bed and going to work seems impossible, just know that even Fiona the hippo has tough days as well. If Fiona can get through her first, rocky months of life — you can do anything!
9. Miss fiona makes her fans happy as can be
This is just one tweet in an endless sea of admiration and responses from fans all over the world. Fiona has inspired parody accounts, endless interactions, and tons of viral tweets praising her success as the internet’s favorite new, wholesome celebrity. Never before has a pop culture icon been thrown into the spotlight so quickly. With her rise to Twitter fame, Fiona the hippo has garnered the kind of unwavering support and admiration that many celebrities spend years trying to cultivate. She is everyone’s truly non-problematic fav.
10. President Fiona is a political figure we can all get behind
Regardless of your political beliefs, we can all agree that our world is in a constant state of panic, turmoil and overwhelming amounts of bad news. Who wouldn’t fantasize about wholesome internet diva, Fiona the Hippo becoming a world leader? While Fiona may be inexperienced, her ability to unite a nation is undeniable. Republicans, democrats, and everyone in between can agree that Fiona is the best thing to happen in this country for years. This is the kind of unity our nation needs!
11. Fiona the hippo stars in videos like this that will clear your skin and solve all of your problems
There is no shortage of videos in which Fiona does adorable things, but this is one of our personal favorites. Like, are you kidding? Even while sleeping, Fiona is able to keep her fans wanting more! This quick clip is one of the cutest things in the entire world and has gained over 185,000 views. Just like any infant, Fiona suckles in her sleep. While not all of us may be baby-crazy, this video certainly made me ready to become the mother of a bouncing baby hippo.
12. Fiona is tough as nails
The world can be a harsh place. Sometimes we all need a reminder to maintain a thick skin and be strong in the face of adversity, just like Fiona. What makes Fiona unique, however, is her unusually-thick skin, called “pachydermos.” This word describes the kind of skin that Fiona and her relatives have. Who knew? Fiona teaches us something new every day. While not all of us may have pachydermos, Fiona’s perseverance reminds us that we are stronger than we could have ever imagined.
13. Because she’s a shining star in a world of darkness
Speaking of tweets about Fiona the hippo, this Tweet is a personal favorite of ours. Solar eclipse who? I only care about Miss Fiona. Even the Cincinnati Zoo couldn’t resist getting caught up in all of the eclipse-related social media hype. And while Fiona grows larger every day, don’t get it twisted: she’s no moon, she’s a star. Plus, Fiona should be getting her own star on the walk of fame any day now *cough cough*.
14. Because she is sassy and gets what she wants when she wants it
Fiona’s attitude is what immediately caught the attention of the world. Unlike our typical conceptions of hippos as boring, docile and potentially aggressive — Fiona is playful, charming and adorable af. While hippos generally don’t come to mind when you think of cute baby animals, Fiona breaks the mold. Something about her rambunctious attitude and affinity for splashing around makes her seem puppy-like. Fiona’s love for play waits for no one, not even her mother, Bibi.
15. She’s willing to teach America’s youth
In case the calendar, social media accounts, and documentary series weren’t enough — business mogul Fiona has decided to tap into America’s youth market. That’s right, Miss Fiona has signed a book deal! Titled, “Saving Fiona: Science, Social Media, and the Story of a Baby Hippo,” this book is sure to fill young audiences with inspiration, joy and (of course) tons of scientific, hippo-related information. Fiona truly cares about our nation’s children.
16. Finally, because Fiona the hippo lives to entertain us
At the end of the day, Fiona the hippo is an entertainer. She knows what her audience wants and she knows how to deliver! From her beginnings as an innocent, crawling baby hippo to her growth into a full-fledged social media influencer, Fiona is always guaranteed to leave audiences smiling. For the past months, Grandmas and children alike have been captivated by this sassy hippo and her endless energy. So keep doing you Fiona, you’ll always have the full support and love of your fan base around the world.