See Fiona today without being at the Cincinnati Zoo during first daily Facebook Live with the animals

Here's an exclusive after hours look into the life of Fiona, the world famous hippo and her mother Bibi at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on Wednesday night, October 24, 2018. Michelle Curley, the Zoo's Communications Director is pictured doing a selfie with Fiona getting in on the action. Both Fiona and Bibi love to pose for the camera. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Credit: Tom Gilliam

Here's an exclusive after hours look into the life of Fiona, the world famous hippo and her mother Bibi at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on Wednesday night, October 24, 2018. Michelle Curley, the Zoo's Communications Director is pictured doing a selfie with Fiona getting in on the action. Both Fiona and Bibi love to pose for the camera. TOM GILLIAM / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
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By Dayton.com Staff
March 16, 2020
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The zoo is closed, but kids of all ages can still visit with some of their favorite animals.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is closed to the public, but during the closure, the Zoo plans to offer Home Safari Facebook Lives seven days a week.

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“We’re bringing the Zoo to people who are stuck at home,” Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard said in a news release. “This Zoo is so important to the community and not being able to visit will create a void that we’re trying to fill. The goal with the daily live sessions is to provide fun and educational content to people who are stuck at home.”

The Home Safaris will start today, March 16, at 3 p.m. EST. The first one will feature the world’s most famous hippo, Fiona. To watch live, just visit the Zoo’s Facebook page at 3 p.m. The Zoo will also post the safaris on its website and on YouTube so everyone can view.

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“We announced the safaris on Facebook yesterday, and the response was phenomenal. That post has reached more than 18 million people and has been shared 283,000 times,” said Maynard. “I’m not a social media expert, but I’m pretty sure those numbers are off the charts.”

The Zoo also picked up 400,000 new Facebook followers after it announced the lives. It plans to bring the Zoo into peoples’ homes via its other social channels throughout the day as long as it remains closed.

>>BEHIND-THE-SCENES PHOTO SHOOT: Take a look at what Fiona is up to after hours

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Dayton.com Staff