Brookfield Zoo Welcomes First Dolphin Calf in Decade

Brookfield Zoo Chicago recently celebrated the birth of its first bottlenose dolphin calf in over a decade, born to 38-year-old mother Allie in the Seven Seas habitat. The birth, captured on video, shows the newborn calf instinctively swimming to the surface for its first breath, with experienced dolphin Tapeko providing support throughout the hour-long labor, a behavior common among dolphins both in the wild and in captivity. The calf, weighing approximately 33 to 37 pounds and measuring around 115 to 120 centimeters, has begun bonding with Allie and learning essential survival skills such as slipstreaming, where the calf drafts behind its mother to conserve energy. Zoo veterinarians are closely monitoring the calf’s nursing, swimming, and behavioral development over the next 30 days. A paternity test will be conducted later to identify the calf’s father from among the male dolphins at the zoo. This successful birth marks a significant milestone for the zoo’s dolphin program and highlights the maternal and social instincts of dolphins under human care.