Science & Nature
Brookfield Zoo Mourning ‘Devastating Loss’ of 4-Day-Old Dolphin Calf
Allie with her calf, shortly after giving birth on June 7. The calf abruptly died Wednesday after previously meeting all key milestones. (Courtesy of Brookfield Zoo Chicago)
Just days after Brookfield Zoo issued the exciting announcement of the first bottlenose dolphin born at the zoo in more than a decade, staff is mourning the sudden death of the calf on Wednesday night.
“This is a devastating loss for our zoo community, especially the animal care and veterinary teams who dedicate their lives to the wellbeing of animals in our care,” Rita Stacey, Brookfield Zoo Chicago senior vice president of programs and impact, said in a statement.
The calf and his mother, 38-year-old Allie, were being monitored around the clock following the calf’s birth on Saturday. The calf had been meeting all key milestones, according to Stacey.
On Wednesday evening, staff witnessed a “rapid, unexpected change in the calf’s behavior,” the zoo said in a statement, and within minutes the calf was dead.
In the wild, one in five dolphin calves born to first-time mothers do not survive their first year. Allie was an experienced mother and was observed as “immediately attentive to her calf,” zoo officials said.
Brookfield Zoo is awaiting the results of a complete necropsy — an animal autopsy — to determine the cause of the calf’s death.
“We know our guests and supporters share this sadness with us,” said Stacey. “This calf’s birth brought hope and joy, and his sudden loss reminds us of the delicate balance of life.”
Despite the heartbreaking loss, the calf’s birth will contribute to the scientific understanding of dolphin neonatology and care, the zoo said.
Brookfield’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program launched in 1970 and has been monitoring dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico ever since, with three generations of researchers having documented six generations of bottlenose in Sarasota Bay, Florida.
In fact, the zoo’s Seven Seas dolphin habitat was recently renovated to better mimic the conditions in the bay. The $10 million makeover was revealed in 2024, with the dolphins returning to Brookfield after a 15-month stay in Minnesota during construction.
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
