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Hippo hooray! Cincinnati Zoo’s Fiona watches as couple gets engaged

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Zoo’s popular baby hippo, Fiona, has drawn a lot of love but perhaps none quite like this moment: From her exhibit, she got a front-row seat to a wedding proposal between two of her fans.

A snapshot shared on Instagram shows the hippo underwater with her face near the glass, watching as Nick Kelble got down on one knee right in front of her with a ring box for his smiling girlfriend, Hayley Roll.

Roll accepted the proposal and shared the photos earlier this month, noting that she and her fiance are glad the hippo was part of their special day.

Fiona was born premature in January, weighing only about 29 pounds. She overcame early health scares and now weighs more than 500 pounds.