The Shedd Aquarium announced Thursday morning that its newest arrival, a two-week-old dolphin calf, is a boy.
The calf was born at 9:14 a.m. April 18 to first-time mom Katrl, according to the Shedd. He was estimated to be about 3 feet long and 25-30 pounds at birth.
“We are thrilled to welcome another baby boy to the Shedd family and are very proud of both Katrl and her calf,” Shedd manager of marine mammals Madelynn Hettiger said in a statement.
“The first few days of life can be very fragile, especially for a first time mom like Katrl, but our team continues to be optimistic about the calf’s growth and development,” Hettiger said.
The calf has already surpassed several milestones, including taking his first breath, bonding with mom, and learning to slipstream, or save energy by swimming in his mother’s wake, according to the Shedd.
There are only 16 Pacific white-sided dolphins in North American zoos, which makes the arrival of this newest boy extremely significant.
Both Katrl and the calf remain off public view to allow for bonding and privacy, but most of the Abbott Oceanarium remains open to the public.
As the calf continues to nurse, animal care staff are watching closely to ensure the calf’s fetal folds – small indentations in the sides resulting from being curled in the womb – disappear. | ©Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez
