Zoo’s new dolphin calf is healthy, staying near mom
Minnesota Zoo staff, who have the zoo’s new dolphin under 24-hour observation, report that the female calf is healthy and has learned to swim through gates, though seldom strays more than a few feet from her mom, Allie. Photo by Andrew Miller
Born earlier this month, the as-yet unnamed female remains off-exhibit as she bonds with mother Allie
by Andrew Miller
Thisweek Newspapers
The Minnesota Zoo’s new dolphin calf isn’t quite ready to dine on fish. For now, she’s on a steady diet of mother’s milk.
As a result, the calf’s mother, Allie, has been feasting like a king.
“We’ve been feeding Allie eight to nine times a day,” said Diane Fusco, the marine mammal supervisor at the zoo in Apple Valley. “All the calf’s milk is from Allie, and it takes a lot of energy to produce that milk.”
Born July 17, the as-yet unnamed female Atlantic bottlenose dolphin is being kept off exhibit as she bonds with her mother. She’s tentatively scheduled to go on exhibit in the fall.
Zoo staff, who have the new dolphin under 24-hour observation, report that the calf is healthy and has learned to swim through gates, though seldom strays more than a few feet from her mom.
“She seems to be doing fine,” Fusco said. “It’s all in Allie’s court right now.”
The calf has yet to be introduced to her father, Semo. According to zoo staff, male dolphins play no role in the rearing of their calves, and because the father could become aggressive toward the mother or the calf, Semo will be introduced to his daughter after the calf is strong and well-bonded with Allie.
The new dolphin, which weighed about 30 pounds at birth, is the second calf born to Allie, 23, and is Semo’s fourth calf. Semo, 45, is believed to be one of the oldest reproducing male dolphins in human care.
In addition to Semo and Allie, the zoo houses Allie’s mom, April, 42.
News about the dolphin calf is posted on the Minnesota Zoo’s website, www.mnzoo.org, under “Zoo Blog.”
Andrew Miller is at andrew.miller@ecm-inc.com.
Recent Comments