Baby Dolphin Dies Shortly After Birth at Brookfield Zoo

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Oct 30, 2011 8:00PM

Sad news from the Brookfield Zoo today: A baby dolphin died minutes after it was born this morning. This was the fourth calf for the 29-year-old mother Tapeko. Staff say the male calf was weak, and a necropsy will be performed later today. The Tribune writes:

"Normally a newborn calf would need very little assistance from its mother to swim to the surface to take its first breath," said Mike Adkesson, associate veterinarian for the society. "However, Tapeko had to push her calf to the surface and he was unsuccessful in taking a breath." Staff attempted to intervene, but the calf showed no sign of life."

It must be tough for the dolphin crews over there. It was just a couple months ago that Brookfield lost a 4-year-old dolphin that died of head injuries from a freak accident. The Chicago sea mammal community also lost a beluga whale at the Shedd Aquarium earlier this week.