You’ve come a long way, baby!

On Jan. 24, 2017, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden welcomed Fiona the hippo into the world. Born six weeks premature and weighing only 29 pounds, Fiona defied the odds to become a legend of scrappy (and most definitely sassy) survival and a beloved Cincinnati icon. People from all over the world come to the Cincinnati Zoo to see Fiona up close (and Fiona’s never been known to turn down a photo opp).

In honor of Fiona’s 6th birthday, we put together this slide show of Fiona growing up from a tiny hippo to the queen she is now.

Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Baby Fiona, 2017 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, circa 2017-2018 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2019 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2020 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2020 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2020 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2020 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2020 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2020 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2021 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
“Talk shit about fiona” -jaxblack7 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2021 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2021 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2021 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2021 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via
Fiona, 2022 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Fiona, 2022 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden via Michelle Peters
Fiona, 2022 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Fiona, 2023 Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Fiona through the years Photo: facebook.com/Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she...