Chicago's Brookfield Zoo Welcomes a New Dolphin Calf!
Thirty-eight-year-old bottlenose dolphin Allie welcomed her new baby early last Saturday.
Brookfield veterinarians noted that Allie's temperature was fluctuating throughout the day, which is a typical sign that a dolphin is about to go into labor.
She was placed in a tank with her close companion Tapeko, a 48-year-old bottlenose dolphin and experienced mother. This setup was meant to simulate birth in the wild, where dolphins often support each other during the birthing process.
Allie's labor lasted a little over an hour, with Tapeko never leaving her side. She swam nearby as the baby's fins began to emerge.
The calf broke the surface and took its first breath. Tapeko immediately sprang into action, helping the calf reach the surface while Allie finished working through her contractions.
The calf broke the surface and took its first breath. Tapeko stayed close to ensure everything was progressing normally.
After a few moments, the three bottlenose dolphins took their first swim together. The calf relied on its instincts and swam confidently alongside its mother and her friend.
The calf is listed as being in good health, weighing around 35 pounds and measuring nearly four feet in length. It will be named later this summer.
The Seven Seas exhibit will be temporarily closed so the calf can bond with its mother and acclimate to the other dolphins.
Over the next 30 days, the veterinarians will closely monitor the calf to make sure it reaches key milestones, such as swimming and nursing. The baby has already learned to slipstream, a technique where the calf swims alongside the mother and uses her current to make swimming easier.
A paternity test will eventually be conducted to determine which of the male dolphins at the zoo is the new calf's father.