Feeding and growth in a captive-born bottle-nosed-dolphin Tursiops truncatus
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Published source details
Peddemors V.M., Fothergill M. & Cockcroft V.G. (1992) Feeding and growth in a captive-born bottle-nosed-dolphin Tursiops truncatus. South African Journal of Zoology, 27, 74-80.
Published source details Peddemors V.M., Fothergill M. & Cockcroft V.G. (1992) Feeding and growth in a captive-born bottle-nosed-dolphin Tursiops truncatus. South African Journal of Zoology, 27, 74-80.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Breed marine and freshwater mammals in captivity Action Link |
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Breed marine and freshwater mammals in captivity
A study (year not stated) at an aquarium in Durban, South Africa (Peddemors et al. 1992) found that a captive-born common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus successfully suckled from its mother, weaned onto fish and survived for at least two and a half years. The male calf successfully suckled from its mother and began eating fish at 11 months of age. The calf survived for at least 30 months and grew in length (1.2–2.7 m) and body mass (50–240 kg) during that time. The calf was born in captivity from a wild-born mother (aged 6.5 years) captured three months earlier from the South Atlantic Ocean, Namibia. The mother and calf were kept in a pool and observed from an underwater window for a total of 1,149 h over 18 months (dates not reported). The length and weight of the calf were estimated at birth. The calf was measured directly from 2–30 months of age and weighed from 16–30 months of age on regular occasions.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
