Nea, a 4-year-old female Atlantic bottlenose dolphin.
" BROOKFIELD, Ill. (WLS) - The youngest of Brookfield Zoo’s seven dolphins died Monday in what zoo officials called a “freak accident,” apparently as a result of a fractured skull from a collision with another dolphin.
The accident happened just before Nea, a 4-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, was due to perform in the zoo’s 1 p.m. show.
No one saw what happened, but her trainers heard a loud pop and jumped into the water. They found Nea unresponsive and attempted CPR. Veterinary staff arrived within 10 minutes to assist, but they were not able revive the dolphin.
Preliminary results of an animal autopsy performed later Monday indicated a fractured skull. Zoo experts believe that Nea received her fatal injuries from colliding with another dolphin rather than a hard fixed object, which would have caused scrapes or bruises.
