Ecology and Life History
Caught and stranded Hector’s dolphins have provided information on the life history and reproductive parameters of the species. The maximum observed age is 19 years for females and 20 years for males. However, a long term photo-ID project at Banks Peninsula has shown that individuals reach at least 23 years of age. Males attain sexual maturity between five and nine years of age, and females have their first calf between seven and nine years old. The calving interval is two to four years.
These life-history characteristics mean that Hector’s dolphins, like many other small cetaceans, have a low potential for population growth. Maximum population growth rate has been estimated to be 1.8-4.9% per year, although the lower end of this range is probably more realistic.
Read more about this topic: Hector's Dolphin
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