There was a cause for celebration this month as Kibibi, the ‘not so little’ Hippo calf turned two.

Kibibi has been growing and developing well over the past two years and is now fully weaned from her mother, Cuddles. Weighing in at approximately 350kgs, Kibibi gets a diet of hay varieties and also grazes on the grass in her paddock.

Kibibi is a bit of a character according to her keepers and is quite cheeky. She really enjoys doing the occasional back flip in her pond and porpoising, and she has become quite vocal. Apart from her food, Kibibi also likes a hose down from keepers. She will stand and often tilt her head up towards the water and open her mouth to catch it.  

Keepers have a special training and conditioning program for Kibibi, which involves target training where she will place her nose on a target and receive a food treat. This training helps to build the keeper and animal relationship but helps in the future if Kibibi needs medical assistance as she will be comfortable to stand near a fence to be examined. She also likes a little scratch during these training sessions.