INDIANAPOLIS, Ind – The fans’ choice was clear, and the Indianapolis Zoo has announced that their male Atlantic bottlenose dolphin calf’s name is Maui!
Receiving about 52% of the vote in their recently concluded public poll, Maui is the name of a demigod from Polynesian mythology and a character that was made popular by the 2016 Disney Pixar film “Moana.”
Mom Kalei and her baby currently remain behind the scenes.
You can see on the video below, a brief shot of Maui nursing beginning about 17 seconds in. As air-breathing mammals that live underwater, dolphins nurse while continuing to swim. So you’ll see Kalei rolls over and swims upside down to help make the nursing process easier for her calf.
No date has yet been announced on when Maui will be available for public viewing.
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