Bottlenose dolphin born at Brookfield Zoo Chicago for 1st time in over a decade

Brookfield Zoo Chicago is celebrating its newest resident as it opens its gates for the weekend welcoming the birth of a bottlenose dolphin for the first time since According to a press release from the zoo Allie a -year-old bottlenose dolphin gave birth to the calf at a m Saturday after first showing signs of labor Friday morning The newborn calf is estimated to be between and pounds with a length between and centimeters Every birth is a remarkable learning opportunity and the scientific information we gain benefits marine conservation efforts We are delighted to share this news with everyone who has followed Allie s pregnancy journey The birth offers a moment to celebrate the incredible work and dedication of our squad to ensure the vitality and wellbeing of the animals in our care Our teams have been closely monitoring Allie and her calf s wellness throughout the pregnancy with meticulous detail and care Brookfield Zoo Chicago president Dr Mike Adkesson declared news hours ago Longevity professional Every single day I try to get at least to grams of fiber in my diet' here's how Texas hours ago Black bear sighting proven in North Texas town The calf kicked up to the water s surface for its first breath after birth and was accompanied by its mother and another experienced dolphin mother Tapeko who was with Allie for the birth According to the zoo Allie was right away attentive to her calf and did not require any hands-on care or assistance Dolphin calves are born after a -month gestation and are fully developed though they require extensive attention from their mother for nutrition navigation and vitality conservation according to the zoo The first days are a critical timeframe for Allie and her calf announced Dr Sathya Chinnadurai Brookfield Zoo Chicago senior vice president of animal physical condition welfare and science We re closely monitoring behaviors and milestones to gauge the calf s progress like its first breath of air bonding with its mother improvement and an increase in nursing efficiency The calf s father will be ratified by the zoo s experts in the coming months after Allie and her calf are more acclimated to the rest of the dolphin group the zoo noted Further updates including a name for the calf are expected to be publicized later this summer The zoo s Seven Seas dolphin habitat will be temporarily closed during this time