Department of Biological Sciences
Male reproductive success increases with alliance size in bottlenose dolphins
Male reproductive success increases with alliance size in bottlenose dolphins
Date Published: October 28, 2011 | Author: Jo Wiszniewski
Male reproductive success increases with alliance size in bottlenose dolphins
A new study on bottlenose dolphins in Port Stephens has shown that males who form alliances to seek-out and reproduce with females have better reproductive success than males who go it alone. The study also found that larger alliances consisting of 3 to 4 males were significantly more successful than males in smaller alliances. The finding that male dolphins in Port Stephens share mating opportunities with their alliance partners and will risk increasing their partners’ reproductive success at a potential cost to themselves, indicates that dolphin relationships are based on a high level of mutual tolerance, cooperation and coordination. Such relationships are unseen in most animals, thus these results help us to understand the fitness benefits of social and cooperative behavior in dolphins.