How many calves does a female typically have in her lifetime?
Females begin to reproduce successfully at about 7-12 years of age. Due to a high investment in maternal care, the average interbirth interval in bottlenose dolphins is about 4-5 years. There is no clear evidence of reproductive senescence (“old-age”) in dolphins, with female dolphins successfully reproducing into their late forties. Therefore, it would be possible for a dolphin to give birth to 11+ calves in their lifetime. Keep in mind that not all births are successful (70-80% in the wild).
