Brookfield Zoo Welcomes Baby Dolphin

Water births are all the rage lately for fancy women these days—but they’re just par for the course for the newest mom at the Brookfield Zoo.

Allie the dolphin, 26, gave birth Friday to her third baby, a 40-pound, three-foot-long girl, the Brookfield Zoo announced.

The calf appears to be in very good health, swimming alongside her mom through the Seven Seas exhibit, which is closed while Allie and baby bond.

“We are encouraged right now with the behavior we are seeing from both Allie and the calf,” said Rita Stacey, curator of marine mammals for the Chicago Zoological Society (CZS), which manages the zoo. “Allie’s pregnancy progressed normally, and she has been provided proper nutrition and veterinary care throughout her pregnancy. However, we remain cautiously optimistic as the first 30 days are extremely critical in the calf’s life.” 

The to-be-named baby will soon have two more playmates. Dolphins Tapeko, 31, and Spree, 10, are also due to give birth at the zoo this fall.