As summer heats up, keepers at Taronga Western Plains Zoo have been treating Kibibi the Hippo calf to a cooling hose down whilst mother Cuddles enjoys her morning meal.

“Kibibi really enjoys being hosed down just like her mum. I think the sensation of the water spraying over her is a real treat for her,” said Keeper, Carolene Magner.

“We have been working hard to develop a relationship with Kibibi, just like the one we have with her mother, so that she trusts us.”

“Hosing her down is just one way we are working to build a bond with her as she continues to thrive,” said Carolene.

Kibibi is now 15 weeks old and is continuing to grow and develop rapidly. She is now well over double her birth weight and growing in confidence.

“She is becoming more confident and will sometimes stay in the shallow water on her own whilst Cuddles comes out to feed, but most of the time they are spotted side by side in their pond together,” said Carolene.

“Kibibi has a lot of personality and is really enjoying all the attention from the visitors who come to see her.

“She is also following her mum’s lead and is now starting to munch on some hay from time to time, but is still very much dependent on mum’s milk.”

A great time to see Kibibi is around the daily Hippo Keeper talk at 11:20am, as this is feeding time for mum, Cuddles.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo was awarded the 2013 National Tourism Award for best tourist attraction. The Zoo is located in Dubbo, NSW and is open every day. For more information visit www.taronga.org.au.