Happy Birthday!

Bella, a healthy dolphin calf, is swimming her way into the hearts of guests and staff alike at The Mirage as she celebrates her first birthday.

The energetic calf was born Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008 to
Huf n Puf, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. With this
new addition, three generations of dolphins are represented at
the resort.

Scientists are currently studying dolphins in the wild and in human care to better understand their life spans. Current scientific data shows that dolphins in Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums zoological parks and aquariums live longer than their counterparts in the wild. On average, a one-year old dolphin can be expected to live for more than 25 years, according to a data review of North American Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums members.

The bottlenose dolphin typically gives birth to one calf and can give birth every 2 – 3 years. Calves are often born tail first. They weigh between 25 and 30 pounds at birth and are about 2 – 3 feet in length.

Bottlenose dolphins inhabit temperate and tropical oceans throughout the world, avoiding only the Polar Regions. In the United States, bottlenose dolphins can be found along the East Coast from Cape Cod to the Gulf of Mexico.