Baby hippo dreams of suckling

A US zoo has shared an adorable video of a baby hippopotamus suckling an imaginary teat as it sleeps. 

Baby Fiona can be seen using her upturned snout to suck the air after falling asleep in a pool, in a video posted to YouTube by The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden yesterday.

The video has since been viewed tens of thousands of times.

The nine-week-old hippo was born premature and 11kg underweight earlier this year, to Nile hippo parents Henry and Bibi. 

Due to her condition, Fiona required around-the-clock care and had to be temporarily separated from her parents.

The zoo expects to unite the trio in the near future.