After a well-deserved break, the dolphin study team on board the Dolphin Explorer was back on the waters surrounding Marco Island on Monday, September 19th and they were looking for something very special…baby dolphins! This is the primary birthing season in this area and there was no disappointment in the team’s findings. 

Although no new calves were seen on the 19th or 20th, Thursday September 22nd produced the much anticipated sighting! The team has a list of females that are potentials to give birth this fall and, near the top of the list is a young lady named Orange. This female raised a calf named Swoop for nearly four years and Swoop just left mom’s side in early August, a strong indication that mom Orange might be pregnant. It was a matter of time before a new calf was expected and, on the 22nd, at the entrance to Collier Creek, we saw several dolphins swimming toward shallow water.

Almost immediately the crew noticed a small, dark figure next to one of the dolphins and it was, indeed, a…