Non-invasive Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of
Reproduction and Calf Development in Bottlenose Dolphin
(Tursiops truncatus): The Rimini Delfinario Experience
Reproduction is a fundamental biological process that occurs only when all other vital needs are
satisfied. In cetaceans reproduction takes place completely in water. From courtship and mating to
calf weaning, every step of the reproductive process occurs under the water\u2019s surface. This
complicates data acquisition in wild populations, making captive observations a useful complement
to wild studies. By allowing close examination of phenomena, studies in captive environments are
able to collect long-term data on known subjects, and sample, in detail, complete behavioural
sequences while monitoring physiological or acoustic patterns. Studies of reproduction in bottlenose
dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) were initiated at Rimini Delfinario (Italy) in 1995. Four bottlenose
dolphin births (in 1995, 1997, 2003 and 2007) have occurred since the start of this research. Due to
evidence suggesting that mother and calf associations are closest in the first year of the calf\u2019s life,
mothers and calves were studied from birth to the end of the first year. Beginning in 1997, studies
encompassed the behaviour and physiology of dolphin mothers during gestation. Here, we report
results of interdisciplinary studies of reproductive processes in bottlenose dolphins, including aspects
of behaviour, physiology, endocrinology, and acoustics. In an effort to reduce the potential for bias
brought about by invasive sampling, we investigated methods of sampling expired air from the
dolphin\u2019s blowhole as a means of monitoring steroid hormone levels. In summary, our research
combines an interdisciplinary network with specialized professional alliances and offers a potentially
crucial approach to the biological aspects of reproduction. At the same time, research findings
presented here aim to help bridge the gap existing between captive and wild studies in favor of a
common aim of conservation biology
