Home > News > Dolphin Survey Update: 9 New Calves in 2011

Dolphin Survey Update: 9 New Calves in 2011

Oct 07, 2011 2 comments By

 

To date, 9 calves have been born to Sarasota Bay resident dolphins, and 3 more to mothers seen frequently around the periphery of the Sarasota home range.

While these are encouraging numbers, calf mortality averages about 50% during their first year of life, so we’ll have to wait and see how well they do.

Happily, all but one of the 17 calves born in 2010 have been seen with their mothers in recent months.

The missing calf, C797, apparently died from fishing line entanglement injuries in June 2011.

Calves typically stay with their mothers 3-6 years. Data on calves are collected as part of our 10 dolphin surveys each month.

 

 

 

Related posts:


back to top ↑

News
Blair Irvine

About the author

I manage the SDRP website, serve as President of the Dolphin Biology Research Institute, and otherwise volunteer as needed. I started the SDRP in 1970 with then High School student Randy Wells, and I led the research through the 70’s. Randy took over in the early 80s when I changed careers. Since then, my non-dolphin interests mostly have been in the area of human behavioral health. With NIH support, much of my research has involved Internet interventions and training programs. My graduate degrees are in Zoology (MS), Exercise Physiology (MAPE), and Health Education (PhD).

2 Responses to “Dolphin Survey Update: 9 New Calves in 2011”

  1. Blair Irvine says:
    April 12, 2012 at 11:42 am

    Not true! We study WILD dolphins.

  2. Xavier says:
    April 12, 2012 at 10:21 am

    These animals are kept in very small tanks and cages, it aappers it’s like a life sentence (for being completely innocent) with no parole.. these animals will never experience what it’s like to be free. How sad! =[

Leave a Reply

Do dolphins move around a lot?
Learn more!
Your donation directly impacts dolphins and dolphin research.