Ohio zoo hits funding goal for hippo exhibit

CINCINNATI (AP) — It’s hip-hippo-hooray at the Cincinnati Zoo.

The southwest Ohio zoo and botanical garden has reached its fundraising goal for a $7.3 million hippopotamus exhibit scheduled to open in the summer of 2016.

Zoo Director Thane Maynard on Thursday thanked the Cincinnati business community and private donors for contributions augmented by other efforts such as a Hippo T-shirt campaign.

The zoo hasn’t had hippos for nearly 20 years, and will start the exhibit with two Nile hippos. Zoo officials say there are breeding plans that could lead to baby hippos in Cincinnati.

The exhibit will have a 70,000-gallon pool home with an underwater viewing area and visitor overlook.

The hippos will join the zoo’s Africa section, which has cheetahs, lions and more.