Video shows dolphin calf birth and first breath at Chicago zoo. Mom’s friend helped

CHICAGO AP A bottlenose dolphin at a Chicago zoo gave birth to a calf early Saturday morning with the help of a fellow mom in a accomplished birth recorded on video by zoo staff The dolphin calf was born at Brookfield Zoo Chicago early Saturday morning as a gang of veterinarians monitored and cheered on the mom a -year-old bottlenose dolphin named Allie Push push push one observer can be heard shouting in video circulated by the zoo Saturday as Allie swims around the tank the calf s little tail fins poking out below her own Then the calf wriggles free and instinctively darts to the surface of the pool for its first breath Also in the tank was an experienced mother dolphin named Tapeko who stayed close to Allie through her more than one hour of labor In the video she can be seen following the calf as it heads to the surface and staying with it as it takes that first breath It is natural for dolphins to look out for each other during a birth zoo staff explained That s very common both in free-ranging settings but also in aquaria reported Brookfield Zoo Chicago Senior Veterinarian Dr Jennifer Langan in a video comment 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 In a written announcement zoo authorities stated early signs indicate that the calf is in good healthcare They estimate it weighs around pounds kilograms and stretches nearly four feet in length - centimeters That is about the weight and length of an adult golden retriever dog The zoo s Seven Seas exhibit will be closed as the calf bonds with its mother and acclimates with other dolphins in its group Related Articles Protect your eggs Gonzo lizard on the loose in the South Bay Looking to keep wildlife out of the urgency room states expand managers role Six gray whales wash up dead around San Francisco Bay in one week Mountain lion sightings rattle Bay Area neighborhoods US peregrine falcons adapt well to city living as their coastal cousins struggle with bird flu As part of that bonding the calf has already learned to slipstream or draft alongside its mother so that it doesn t have to work as hard to move Veterinarians will monitor progress in nursing swimming and other milestones particularly closely over the next days The calf will eventually take a paternity test to see which of the male dolphins at the zoo is its father Zoo executives say they will name the calf later this summer