A four-day-old dolphin calf at Brookfield Zoo Chicago died suddenly Wednesday, June 11, the zoo announced.
“This is a devastating loss for our zoo community, especially the animal care and veterinary teams who dedicate their lives to the well-being of animals in our care,” said Rita Stacey, the zoo’s vice president of programs and impact, in a written statement. “While the calf was progressing well, dolphin [newborns] face immense biological challenges. We are deeply saddened by his sudden passing.”
Allie (center) and her calf (bottom) swam around just moments after the calf was born June 7. Tapeko (top), another dolphin mother, was present to support Allie through the birth. Credit: © Brookfield Zoo Chicago 
Allie (left) and her calf (right) surface for air. The calf died suddenly on June 11. Credit: © Brookfield Zoo Chicago
The zoo said in a press release it is waiting for a necropsy to determine the dolphin’s cause of death.
The calf was born at 12:22 a.m. on Saturday, June 7, to Allie, a 38-year-old bottlenose dolphin, and was the first dolphin born at the zoo since 2014.
The newborn had been under continual, 24-hour observation by zoo animal caregivers and veterinarians when “staff members witnessed a rapid, unexpected change in the calf’s behavior Wednesday evening,” the zoo said. The calf died just minutes later.
Through its four days of life, the baby bottlenose was meeting all expected milestones, Stacey said, including nursing from Allie and “slipstreaming,” or resting while being carried in the currents of her swimming.
Zoo officials have not released a name for the late dolphin, though they were expected to announce one this summer.
