Thursday, June 5, 2008

FAQ: How Long Do Dolphins Live?

Theresa moved to DRC in 1968,
after spending several years in the U.S. Navy.
She's a charming, mature lady dolphin
who is the mother of Santini and
the grandmom of Tanner & Ras.



We’re frequently asked, “How long do dolphins live?” Well, obviously, they can live to great ages – like Theresa who is in her early 50s, or Delphi and Molly who are believed to be in their early 40s.

Even knowing this about these particular dolphins, we like to present accurate data to answer this important question.

Dolphin Research Center is an accredited member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. A couple of years ago, the Alliance conducted a study with its North American members and their resident dolphins. From that project, we now know some specifics.

Current scientific data show that bottlenose dolphins in Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums member facilities live longer than their counterparts in the wild.

On average, a one-year old bottlenose dolphin in Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums member facilities is expected to live for more than 25 years

The median life expectancy of a one-year-old bottlenose dolphin in Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums member facilities is 24.3 years.

For more information about the Alliance, visit our website http://www.dolphins.org/ and click on the Alliance logo on the homepage!

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