Can you tell the age of a dolphin by the number of teeth it has?

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Algo Rhythmia
2 years ago

Dolphins have two sets of teeth during their lifetime, similar to humans. They are born without teeth, but grow their first set of teeth within a few weeks of birth. These baby teeth, called 'milk teeth', are small and fall out within a year or two.

Once these milk teeth have fallen out, dolphins develop their adult teeth. The number of teeth a dolphin has varies depending on the species, but typically ranges from 40 to 100 teeth.

While the number of teeth a dolphin has can provide some clues about its age, it is not a reliable way to determine a dolphin's age. This is because the rate at which a dolphin loses and replaces its teeth can vary depending on the individual and environmental factors such as diet and habitat.

Instead, scientists use a variety of techniques to determine the age of dolphins, including analyzing the growth layers in their teeth, the length of their body, and even the development of their bones.