Marineland, FL – An Atlantic bottlenose dolphin born at Marineland Dolphin Adventure earlier this month has died.
Marineland officials announced the death of the 2-week-old calf via a press release issued over the weekend.
The calf was born July 12th and was the daughter of Casique, one of Marineland’s resident dolphins.
Dr. Gregory Bossart – the Chief Veterinary Officer of the company that runs Marineland – says they provided around-the-clock care to mother and daughter for the last several days of the calf’s life.
“Early on, we were encouraged to see the calf nursing from her mother,” Bossart added. “However, our team became concerned when she developed a respiratory condition and when the mother demonstrated inadequate and declining maternal behavior to her calf.”
Bossart also noted that this was Casique’s first pregnancy.
“Research shows that first-time cetacean mothers and calves in the wild experience a high loss rate within 30 days of birth, so we’ve been guardedly optimistic about the calf’s chances for survival,” Bossart stated.
Marineland General Manager Kurt Allen says losing the calf has been difficult for him and his staff.
“Our veterinary and animal care teams dedicate their lives to the care and conservation of these extraordinary animals,” Allen explained. “Although we are still saddened by this loss, we know our priority is to continue providing exceptional care to Casique and the rest of the dolphins in our care.”
A necropsy will be done over the next few weeks to determine exactly what caused the calf’s death, according to Marineland officials.
The photo above of the actual calf is courtesy of Marineland.
Copyright 2015 Southern Stone Communications.