Photo: Associated Press // YouTube
Most surfers can recall the welcome sight of dolphins making their way through the lineup, but to witness the birth of a brand new calf is a much rarer sight. Recently, staff at a Chicago zoo got to witness that firsthand, as the Associated Press reports.
The calf was born at Brookfield Zoo Chicago early Saturday morning. The mother, a 38-year-old bottlenose dolphin named Allie, was placed in a special tank, where she was accompanied by not only the aforementioned team of veterinarians, but also another dolphin for support. The second dolphin, a 43-year-old “experienced mother” named Tapeko, stayed nearby during the entire process – behavior also seen in wild dolphins.
“That’s very common both in free-ranging settings but also in aquaria,” Brookfield Zoo Chicago Senior Veterinarian Dr. Jennifer Langan explained to AP. “It provides the mom extra protection and a little bit of extra help to help get the calf to the surface to help it breathe in those couple minutes where she’s still having really strong contractions.”
