Premature baby hippo takes its first steps at US zoo

A wobbly-legged prematurely born hippo baby has set hearts racing after it was filmed taking its first steps at Cincinnati Zoo.

Video filmed by overnight zoo staff shows Fiona the hippo teetering around the centre’s headquarters.

Zoo spokeswoman Michelle Curley said Fiona was active during the night and “consumed a good amount of formula by herself”.

The baby's mother, 17-year-old Bibi, gave birth six weeks early on January 24 to the first Nile hippo born at the zoo in 75 years.

Staffers have been working to help Fiona grow and learn to nurse on her own.

She is kept close enough to her parents so they can hear and smell each other, the zoo said in an official statement.