For Minnesota Zoo, long wait for dolphin calf ends in sadness

[a kennedy]

By Maricella Miranda

It took hours for Allie to believe her calf would never move.

The 21-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin at the Minnesota Zoo spent much of Thursday morning circling the stillborn calf, using her beak to push her baby to the surface so it could take its first breath.

"There was no way she was going to let us near that calf until she realized it was not going to swim with her," said Kevin Willis, director of biological programs at the zoo.

Signs of labor problems came early.

Allie had released an abnormal amount of fluid and blood by the time on-call staff arrived early Thursday.

"Nobody wanted to think this might not work," Willis said.

Once born, the 45-inch-long, 33-pound female calf was lifeless.

Suddenly, hopes of having the zoo's first successful dolphin birth since three dolphins — including 7-month-old calf Harley — died in 2006 quickly turned into sadness.

The stillborn calf was the second at the Minnesota Zoo, which has had eight dolphin births since the facility opened 31 years ago, Willis said.

The calf likely died of complications during labor caused by a damaged umbilical cord, Willis said. A necropsy — an autopsy on an animal — will be performed to examine the cause of death further.

full article: http://www.twincities.com/ci_12006796?nclick_check=1

[Cetacea]

1. Th dolphin knew the calf was dead before the idiot biologists did.

Dolphins do instant sonnagrams of one another. She was mourning.

[Cetacea]

2. Thanks for posting the story.

[trotsky]

3. What an idiotic claim.

Never let the facts get in the way of some good science-bashing.

[Cetacea]

4. You are no scientist, and if you are, your lacking.

Ego rules supreme. To suggest that this dolphin took 24 hours to realize her baby was dead is ludicrous. Got it?

[trotsky]

6. And you have absolutely no ability to recite facts from the article.

Who suggested "that this dolphin took 24 hours to realize her baby was dead"? The article only says "it took hours" and the mother "spent much of Thursday morning circling the stillborn calf." I do not see a claim of "24 hours" anywhere. Why did you make it up? And why are you turning to insults?

[Cetacea]

7. . But you are the one hurling the insults.

I only insulted the idiot biologist. Yes, I didn't have to read the entire article to see what it was insinuating. The jest is still that "There was no way she was going to let us near that calf UNTIL SHE REALIZED it was not going to swim with her," said Kevin Willis, director of biological programs at the zoo.

Again, that dolphin knew her baby was dead the second the heart stopped and the circulation in the brain ceased.

Learn to recognize subtle put-downs.

[Cetacea]

8. The writer was actually more accurate that the director.

"She refused to believe that her calf was dead" is the science in this particular situation.

[BlooInBloo]

11. Um, I think you mean "gist", you dolphin mind-reader.

Gawd we're a stupid country.

[Cetacea]

14. I break rules in other creative endeavors as well, sp. nazi.

[Cetacea]

18. Enviable? yes. Magical? Not so much. Spelling while exhausted. Guilty.

Good luck to you.

[trotsky]

13. Oh, perhaps you can point out exactly what insults I used.

You called a stranger an "idiot" and implied my "ego rules supreme."

You're the one who misread the article, made up a magical ability for dolphins, and proceeded to bash from there. Admit it - you were WRONG.

[Cetacea]

16. Ummm...being accused of science bashing is insulting, doncha think"

:)

[trotsky]

17. No, not in the least.

Gonna admit your error now?

[Cetacea]

19. I already did. But I stand by the JEST.

[cherokeeprogressive]

31. I don't JEST. And don't call me SHIRLEY. n/t

[Cetacea]

21. You accuse me of science bashing and attribute magick to sonar.

You two are the ones ascribing "magical abilities'. Do the research. And don't use wiki.

[trotsky]

23. You made the claim - it's up to YOU to document it.

YOU must prove that "Dolphins do instant sonnagrams (sic) of one another."

[Cetacea]

24. Not my job. And I don't get paid to go on arguing endlessly either.

[trotsky]

25. LMAO. Figures. n/t

[Cetacea]

27. I'll make a deal with youi.

I'll let you win today's game of one-up-man-ship and on another day, when I have TIME, I'll post a comprehensive, dedicated thread on dolphins and post it in the civil liberties forum. Peace out.

[trotsky]

28. I will eagerly await your proof that dolphins give each other instant "sonnagrams (sic)".

But I won't hold my breath.

[Cetacea]

29. You already broke the deal.

[trotsky]

30. Awww.

Now the world will never know your secret research.

[dysfunctional press]

10. and you're lacking in ability to use contractions correctly.

everyone has their shortcomings, it would appear. :shrug:

[Cetacea]

15. But I am not responsible for programming paradigms.

And I am not a writer. But you are correct.

[ellenfl]

26. delete

[Crunchy Frog]

5. Just as well. I hate the think of a poor calf being born to a life in prison.

[Echo In Light]

32. ...imprisoned, and trained to entertain its captors and their kind

[Cetacea]

9. Apologies to the OP.

Again, thank you for posting the article. :)

[BlooInBloo]

12. Poor mama. :(

[OnyxCollie]

20. (Sigh)

[ellenfl]

22. the link is not working for me. eom

[applegrove]

33. Sad.