Dear All,
We are pleased to announce our new publication:
Jaakkola, K., & Willis, K. (2019).How long do dolphins live? Survival
rates and life expectancies for bottlenose dolphins in zoological
facilities vs. wild populations. /Marine Mammal Science/. DOI:
10.1111/mms.12601
Abstract:
Survival rates and life expectancies are commonly agreed upon indicators
of well-being for animals in zoological facilities, but even the most
recent survival statistics for bottlenose dolphins (/Tursiops
truncatus/) in marine mammal parks and aquariums use data that are now
more than 25 yr old. The current study provides a comprehensive
assessment of life expectancy and survival rates for bottlenose dolphins
in U.S. zoological facilities from 1974 to 2012, utilizing three
different analyses (annual survival rate, age-at-death, and
Kaplan-Meier), examining historical trends, and comparing to comparable
data from wild populations. Both survival rate and life expectancy for
dolphins in zoological facilities increased significantly over the past
few decades, with a modern ASR of 0.972, and mean and median life
expectancies calculated via Kaplan-Meier of 28.2 and 29.2 yr,
respectively. Survival rates and life expectancies for dolphins in U.S.
zoological facilities today are at least as high as those for the wild
dolphin populations for which there are comparable data.**
The paper is open access and can be found here:
http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.12601
Cheers,
-- Kelly
Kelly Jaakkola, Ph.D.
Dolphin Research Center
58901 Overseas Hwy.
Grassy Key, FL 33050
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