Dolphins are darlings of the sea and we should do everything we can to ensure these charming flippers live to their ripe old age. When it comes to how long Dolphins live, it has been quite a challenge for professionals to figure this out, but there are some good estimates, as you will see in this article.
Dolphins have an average life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. The oldest pictured dolphin, a bottlenose named Nicklo, had a lifespan of 66 years, although the average life expectancy for the bottlenose is 20 to 30 years.
Before we go into talking about the average lifespan of the Dolphins, here is a quick overview on Dolphins.
There are two types of dolphins, oceanic dolphins and river dolphins. Dolphins can be up to 33 feet long and weigh up to 10 tons. They communicate using a broad range of sounds including clicks, whistles, and squeaks.
You have probably already watched a movie or tv show where a charming dolphin plays alongside the main character to save the day. Their curved mouths give them a permanent smile, the small teeth, their swimming skills, and playful antics, they are surely a sight for sore eyes!
How Long Do Dolphins Live?
The table below summarizes the life expectancy of common types of dolphins.
| Average Lifespan of a Dolphin | |
|---|---|
| The Amazon river dolphin | 15 – 20 years |
| The Baiji dolphin | 20 – 25 years |
| The Dusky dolphin | 20 – 25 years |
| Hector’s dolphin | 15 – 20 years |
| The Chinese river dolphin | 25 years |
| The Bottlenose dolphin | 20 – 30 years |
| The Irrawaddy dolphin | 25 – 30 years |
| Maui’s dolphin | 20 years |
| The Killer whale | 30 – 50 years |
| The Striped dolphin | 50 – 60 years |
| The Yangtzeriverdolphin | 20 – 25 years |
With that summary out of the way, let’s take a closer look into how long the following dolphins live for:
How Long Do Bottlenose Dolphins Live?
The bottlenose dolphins have an average life expectancy of 20 to 30 years. Nicklo, the oldest known bottlenose dolphin was last pictured in 2017, at 67 years of age.
Bottlenose dolphins live longer in the wild than in captivity.
If you have been to aquatic shows, you have probably seen the bottlenose dolphin. Popularly known for its intelligence and charisma, the bottlenose can be taught several tricks. These dolphins track their prey through echolocations from the sounds they produce.
These dolphins Live in social groups called pods. They are carnivorous, and therefore mostly eat the fish at the bottom of the ocean.Common bottlenose dolphins are found throughout the world and are famous for swimming alongside boats and going near the shore.
Dolphin mothers are known to nurse their calves for up to 7 years after birth. [1] In 2014, researchers led by Pamela Carzon witnessed a bottlenose mother that had adopted a melon head whale calf and was caring for it, would you look at that!
Another show of their intelligence was spotted in Shark Bay, Australia where the dolphins were observed teaching each other how to use tools to hunt and to protect themselves.
Health issues, injuries, predators, and human activity can shorten the dolphin’s lifespan.
Related: How long do whales live?
Average Lifespan of Irrawaddy Dolphins Live?
Mostly found in Indo Asia, the Irrawaddy dolphin has an average life expectancy of 20 to 30 years.
The dolphin closely resembles the Australian snubfin dolphin, and they were only described as different species after 2015.
The Irrawaddy are slow swimmers compared to the other dolphins. They are also shy of boats and known to dive away when alarmed
This dolphin is easily distinguished due to its unusually short beak, dark grey color, pale underside, small rounded dorsal fin, and bluntly rounded head. They are an endangered species and their main threat is drowning in fishing nets.
Average Lifespan of Hector’s Dolphins
The average life expectancy of Hector’s dolphin is 15 to 20 years. Hector’s dolphins are the scarcest marine dolphins in the world. Estimated to be about 7000 dolphins left in number. Just like the Irrawaddy, their existence is threatened by fishing nets.
Hector’s dolphins are also relatively small. They can grows up to 4.75 feet from nose to tail and weighs between 40 to 57kgs. They are mostly found near the shores of New Zealand.
These Dolphins like to form groups of 2 to 20 dolphins and eat a variety of coastal fish like the red cod, yellow-eyed mullet, stargazer, and squid.
Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins are both at risk of becoming extinct.
Related: How long do sharks live?
Threats to Dolphins include;
- Illegal Harassment and Feeding Activities
- Biotoxins
- Habitat Destruction and Degradation
- Interactions with Fishing Gear
Despite the challenges that have constrained scientists’ research on dolphins’ lifespan, It is evident that the life expectancy ranges from 20 to 30 years. This shows that dolphins can live for decades and even more than 50 years in the wild.
