The Birth of a Baby Dolphin
(Photos and Video)
The following sequence of remarkable photos are from a rare video
taken
during the actual birth of a baby dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). The
birth occurred just before dawn with very little available light, so the images
are a little dark and the resolution is a bit grainy, but the process is quite
clear.
The sequence runs left to right, top to
bottom. Each photo is presented in thumbnail form. Just click on each
image to see a full size version of the photo.
Moments after the baby was born, he rose to the surface
of the water to
take his first breath of air, the sun came up over the horizon and the dolphin
calf was bathed in the warm glow of a brand new day.
A
Remarkable Example of Trust
The following
three thumbnail photos are from the same videotape but taken several hours before the
birth. To help enhance image quality, these photos are presented in
black and white format.
For
many hours before the actual birth took place the mother dolphin experienced the
normal discomfort of "labor" known to all expectant mammal mothers.
What was remarkable about this particular labor process was the fact that the
female dolphin sought out the comfort and assistance of her trainer
who is seen laying on her stomach by the pool side. Even though another female
dolphin shared the same pool the expectant mother often chose the contact of her
trainer over that of her pool mate. In this photo you can see the dolphin
has swum up to the pool side and presented her flukes and lower abdomen to the
trainer. The trainer has responded by gently messaging the dolphin in the
area presented. The attending veterinarian observes nearby.
Here
you can see a close up of the trainer rubbing and messaging the peduncle of the
expectant mother dolphin. You can clearly see the
flukes of the baby have already emerged from the birth canal.
The expectant mother obviously found some comfort and relief through this
activity as she remained in this voluntary position for many minutes at a time
and returned to this same position many times through out the night.
It
may take several hours for a baby dolphin to completely pass from the mother's
womb once the flukes have emerged. Having the opportunity for the trainer and
veterinarian to examine the mother and calf this closely during the labor
process is a great help in monitoring the labor process. The kind of
trust exhibited by this expectant mother dolphin can only happen if a close
personal relationship already exists between dolphin and trainer; a
relationship founded on mutual trust and respect developed over many years of daily interaction.
Click
here for a digital clip of the birth video
Courtesy of
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
