Watch as Captive Dolphin Gives Birth to a Calf at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo

The dolphin family at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo has a new addition after Allie, its 26-year-old bottlenose dolphin, gave birth to a calf last week.

Born on Aug. 1, the 3-foot-long, 40 pound, the female calf appears healthy and strong.

"We're definitely excited,'' zoo spokeswoman Sondra Katzen said of the birth.

In a video recorded by the zoo, Allie can be seen birthing the calf, which emerged fully able to swim; it instinctively knew to rise to the surface for air.

The unnamed calf also reached other key milestones after being born, including nursing and slip streaming, which is where the calf rests the hydrodynamic wake called a slipstream made my the mother as she swims, using that energy to glide through the water, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The first month of a dolphin calf's life is extremely critical to development and the first year of the calf's life is full of challenges and milestones that must be met, regardless of its position in captivity or in the wild.

As Allie is an experienced mother, zoo officials are "cautiously optimistic" about the health and success of the calf in its first stage of life.

"Allie's pregnancy progressed normally, and she has been provided proper nutrition and veterinary care throughout her pregnancy," said Rita Stacey, curator of marine mammals for the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages the zoo. "However, we remain cautiously optimistic as the first 30 days are extremely critical in the calf's life."

However, it will be some time before the public will be able to see Allie or the new calf. The zoo's Seven Sea's exhibit will remain closed so that the calf can bond with its mother and establish good nursing habits, as well as to give other dolphins in the exhibit the opportunity to become acquainted with the new calf.

The zoo has at least one other pregnant dolphin, which is expected to give birth this fall.