Can we feel the same bond toward cows and their calves as we do toward humans? Humans are able to drink their mother’s breast milk and eventually wean off into adulthood, but the maternal bond is not unique to our species.
As part of an aquarium program, a team received a permit to capture a dolphin. They succeeded in capturing just one—a mother traveling with her juvenile calf. Since the calf was old enough to hunt on its own, the staff assumed that separating the mother and calf would not be an issue. However, the mother dolphin clearly thought otherwise.
Handlers reported that she fought harder than any dolphin they had ever encountered. She refused to settle, behaving as if her heart was still out in the ocean. Then, one night, she made a dramatic leap, clearing a 15-foot railing and returning to the dark sea.
For several weeks, no one knew where she had gone. Eventually, she was spotted hundreds of miles away, swimming once again beside her calf. At that point, wildlife groups stepped in and fought to keep her free, ensuring that no nets would capture her again.
Through her actions, she demonstrated what no policy could measure: a mother’s love knows no limits. We can only imagine the joy she felt when she was reunited with her baby. Although the situation should have allowed her freedom earlier, it is a relief that she ultimately escaped.
