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The World Is Sad So Here's The Shedd's New Dolphin Swimming With Mommy

By David Matthews | July 13, 2016 12:13pm | Updated on July 15, 2016 10:34am

MUSEUM CAMPUS — Tired of bad news? 

Here's a video of the Shedd Aquarium's new dolphin swimming with his mom that will momentarily turn your frown upside down. 

The three-month-old Pacific white-sided dolphin now has a name: "Kukdlaa" (pronounced kook-dlah), which means "Bubbles" in Tlingit, an indigenous language of the Pacific Northwest. 

The name was announced Wednesday morning after 12,300 votes were cast in a naming contest. The male dolphin calf was born in April. 

RELATED: There's A New Baby Dolphin At The Shedd (Watch It Swim With Mom)

“It was incredible to see how excited our young guests were, not only about seeing the dolphin calf, but learning more about the species and their place in our oceans,” Bridget Coughlin, Shedd's president and CEO, said in a statement.

Kukdlaa is the first calf for his mother, Katrl, a 28-year-old dolphin who recently went to Miami Seaquarium and came back pregnant. There are only about 20 such dolphins in North American aquatic facilities, and the Shedd prioritizes breeding and caring for the dolphins so it can learn more about the species. 

Native to the north Pacific Ocean, Pacific white-sided dolphins are marked by their black backs, gray sides and white bellies, according to the Shedd. The dolphins are also known for jumping in the air and can swim at 25 miles per hour, making them one of the fastest creatures in the ocean.

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