Hippos are surprisingly fast on land, but even more so in the water, where gravity isn’t an issue and their strong legs propel them like torpedoes. To show us how, here’s Fiona, zooming across her tank at the Cincinnati Zoo. Fire Fiona one!
16 thoughts on “Freakin’ Fast Fiona”
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To quote GLaDOS: “flying like a majestic eagle…piloting a blimp.”
Delightfully blorpy!
BONUS FIONA EAR WIGGLE, via Andrew Y.:
OMGah, i is D.E.D, ded!
Wow, they move like your arms do when you swim!
Amazing!
I never realized those motions are circular. Makes a lot of sense. You can see how they clear water out of and off of her ears.
It’s the hippo equivalent of tassel-twirling. I see a great future for Fiona in aquatic burlesque.
Hahaha
SLO-MO FLIPPETY EARS!!!
She’s the sweetest little hippo who ever hipped. Love the earsies slo-mo!
Mike,
This ought to get an “up” vote every time someone watches either clip, since I’ve watched both multiple times! Can’t get enough of our Fiona.
Fiona zoomies for the win!!
Captain Mike launch the Blorpedo! Earsies on stun!
Such a happy hippo!
Wow, just look at her – I’m sitting here laughing with pure delight. Our big, strong (and speedy) girl!
Propellers fore and aft! No wonder she moves so fast!
The continually amazing thing to me is … they don’t swim. An almost entirely aquatic animal (I think in the wild they only come on land to eat) that doesn’t swim. They do it all walking or pushing off the bottom and then gliding/coasting. And they do it well.