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In 2002, four bottlenose dolphin calves (Tursiops truncatus) were born at SeaWorld Orlando, and two were born at Discovery Cove. About 76% of all the bottlenose dolphins at the SeaWorld and Discovery Cove parks were born at the parks, with 74% born in San Diego alone. SeaWorld San Diego is expecting more bottlenose calves to be born around spring and early summer, mostly to females that were born at SeaWorld themselves. At birth, bottlenose dolphins are 42 to 52 inches long and weigh about 44 pounds. Their dorsal fins and tail flukes are flaccid and pliable, but gradually become more stiff in a few weeks. Additionally, a newborn calf is marked by "fetal folds," light colored vertical "stripes" on the calf's otherwise dark gray skin. The fetal folds show where the baby’s skin was creased to fit inside the mother before birth.
Learn more about bottlenose dolphins
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SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database ©2003 Busch Entertainment Corporation. |
