Fiona the Hippo predicts Super Bowl winner... and then the unexpected happens

The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers face off this Sunday

Fiona, a Nile Hippopotamus, eats her specialty birthday cake to celebrate turning three-years old this Friday, in her enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Zoo is using the third birthday of its beloved premature hippo as a way to raise money for Australian wildlife affected by the recent bushfires. Instead of sending birthday gifts, the zoo is asking people to buy T-shirts that will directly benefit the Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (John Minchillo, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati’s celebrity, Fiona the Hippo, has chosen her winner for this year’s Super Bowl... and then she threw up on it.

Zookeepers placed two toys in front of her, each labeled with one of the competing teams in this year’s Super Bowl - the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.

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We will soon find out which of our animals may have a knack for Superbowl predictions. Fiona's pick could be interpreted in a few different ways.

Posted by Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden on Friday, January 31, 2020

Although zookeepers may have expected Fiona to simply nudge one of the two toys... she took another approach.

In a video posted on the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s Facebook page, Fiona is seen hovering over the Kansas City Chiefs toy. However, instead of just nudging it, she threw up what looks to be leafy greens all over it.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers take to the field Sunday, Feb. 2.

Fiona receives birthday gift from SA’s Timothy the hippo

Fiona has been capturing the nation’s attention ever since she was born six weeks premature at the Cincinnati Zoo on Jan. 24, 2017.

Zoo officials said she was the smallest hippo to ever survive. Now, she’s grown to be a nationwide phenomenon.

To learn more about Fiona’s journey, check out Facebook, the Fiona Show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and the zoo’s website for updates.


About the Author:

Cody King is a digital journalist for KSAT 12. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois.