Discovery Cove in Orlando is welcoming five baby bottlenose dolphins that were born within a month of each other.
Each calf weighs 35 pounds and measures about 43 inches, Discovery Cove said.
“An animal birth is a very special time for our team, and having five babies at once is remarkable,” said Discovery Cove Animal Trainer Gina McDaniel, in a press release. “The last time we had this many new babies was 2009, so this is an exciting time for our dolphins and our animal care team.”
The babies will stay close to their mothers for some time and will soon interact and play with one another, meet the other moms and, eventually, be introduced to social groups within the park.
Trainers and veterinarians are watching over the moms and babies around the clock, carefully monitoring and recording their respiration rates, nursing and overall progress, Discovery Cove said. The data and observations gathered by Discovery Cove will be shared with zoological facilities all over the world.
Cox Media Group
