Pacific white-sided dolphin calf born at Shedd Aquarium
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CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
Piquet, the Shedd Aquarium's Pacific white-sided dolphin, gave birth to a calf Memorial Day evening.
The name and gender of the calf have yet to be determined, but the calf swam to the surface of the water and took its first breath immediately following birth. It measures 3 ft. long and weighs 25 lbs.
"We are thrilled about the birth; however, a calf must reach several milestones in its first days and months. We know that female Pacific white-sided dolphins in the wild and in aquariums and zoos commonly lose their first calf during pregnancy or during their first year of life," Ken Ramirez, Shedd's Executive Vice President of Animal Care and Training said.
The calf will continue bonding with its mother, learn to nurse and eventually learn to feed on its own.
Piquet was able to conceive through a breeding program with the Miami Seaquarium. Male dolphin Lii is the father, according to a Shedd Aquarium release.
The aquarium said both mother and calf are doing well, but will be kept under 24-hour observation for several months. They will not be available for public viewing until after the "first critical period has ended."
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