Dramatic dolphin birth at Brookfield Zoo captured on camera — see the beautiful moment

The successful birth marks a major milestone for the zoo’s dolphin program

Last updated:
Balaram Menon, Senior Web Editor
2 MIN READ
Bottlenose dolphins ‘Allie’ with ‘Tapeko’ are joined by the newly born calf at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago recently.
Bottlenose dolphins ‘Allie’ with ‘Tapeko’ are joined by the newly born calf at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago recently.
Brookfield Zoo Chicago/AP

Brookfield Zoo Chicago is celebrating the birth of a bottlenose dolphin calf — its first in more than ten years. The calf was born recently to 38-year-old Allie, a longtime resident of the zoo’s Seven Seas habitat.

Video released by the zoo shows the 35-pound newborn emerging underwater, then instinctively darting to the surface for its first breath. Nearby, 43-year-old Tapeko, an experienced dolphin mother, stayed close to Allie throughout the hour-long labor. In the footage, Tapeko follows the calf as it rises, offering support — a behaviour experts say mirrors dolphin births in the wild.

Shouts of encouragement from zoo staff — ‘Push, push, push!’—can be heard as Allie swims in circles, the calf’s tail fins briefly visible before its full delivery.

Zoo veterinarians say the calf is already bonding with its mother and learning essential survival skills, including "slipstreaming," a drafting technique that allows the newborn to swim efficiently alongside Allie.

Staff will closely monitor the calf over the next 30 days, focusing on nursing, swimming strength, and behavioral development. A paternity test will later determine which male dolphin at the zoo fathered the calf.

Officials have not yet announced a name, saying the calf will be named later this summer.

The successful birth marks a major milestone for the zoo’s dolphin program, which hasn’t welcomed a new member in over a decade and highlights the collaborative and maternal instincts of dolphins under human care.

With inputs from AP

Balaram Menon
Balaram MenonSenior Web Editor
Balaram brings more than two decades of experience in the media industry, combining sharp editorial judgment with a deep understanding of digital news dynamics. Since 2004, he has been a core member of the gulfnews.com digital team, playing a key role in shaping its identity. Passionate about current affairs, politics, cricket, entertainment, and viral content, Balaram thrives on stories that spark conversation. His strength lies in adapting to the fast-changing news landscape and curating compelling content that resonates with readers.

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