A European bottlenose dolphin named Naya swims with her new-born healthy calf at the Hainan Ocean Paradise Resort on July 10. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A European bottlenose dolphin under foster care defied the odds by becoming pregnant after spending 11 years in Europe without conceiving, giving birth to a healthy calf in South China's Hainan province on Saturday.

The newborn calf is female and about 120 centimeters in length. Her mother, named Naya, is 18 years old and has had the ability to reproduce since the age of 7.