Father Of Fiona The Hippo Put Down After Ailing Health

CINCINNATI, Ohio (CBS4) - The father of beloved Fiona the hippopotamus, Henry, has died at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.

Zoo officials say the 36-year-old animal had been :struggling with health issues for months and had lost hundreds of pounds."

Veterinarians examined Henry last Tuesday morning and determined his quality of life would not get better and decided to euthanize him.

"Nothing – antibiotics, favorite foods, extra TLC – seemed to turn his condition around," said Christina Gorsuch, Cincinnati Zoo's Curator of Mammals.

Zookeepers say Fiona and her mother, Bibi, got along with Henry, spending time napping together in their outdoor habitat.

Fiona gained fame after being born six weeks early.

The median life expectancy for a Nile hippopotamus is 35 years.

RELATED: Read About Fiona's Story