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

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.