Boys to Men

One of the great things about collecting data regarding our local dolphin population for nearly 13 years is that I get to watch them grow up. Moms have calves and after three years or so, they go out on their own. These youngsters, known as sub-adults because they are not yet mature, will find their place in the local society of 125+ residents that we have documented.

The young females will mature at seven years of age or later, and the boys will mature at about 12 years old or later. These females, now adults, will have their own young and will teach them to feed in the same area that their moms taught them to forage. They stay in a specific range to earn them the title of “resident” dolphins.

The boys, on the other hand, might lead a different life. There are some huge males that dominate the local waters, and they will sometimes run the younger guys out of the area, knowing that these males will mature and eventually become competitors for the attention of the adult females. To put things in perspective, we have 15 adult males thriving in the north Marco Island waters and 39 adult females!

The six most dominant males have formed smaller alliances to give them the “king of the jungle” status among all of the males. These alliances, formed by two males, are called “male pair bonds.” Two mature males become best buddies and can sometimes spend an entire lifetime together. Our dolphins are given names so that humans on our boat can better relate to them, so our three Male Pair bonds are Captain Jack and Trixie (yes, Trixie is a boy), Bangle and Finch, and Hatchet and Capri. 

These six males are the kings of the jungle. They have ruled the mating rights in the waters here for 15 to 20 years…all of them! But there is a potential change coming and it could be very soon!

Some of our younger males who have reached maturity are beginning to challenge the longstanding champs, ready to give them a fight for the right to be top of the heap!

Simon, born in 2007, is now 16 years old and asserting his presence along with potential pair bond Ellie May (yes, Ellie May is a male). These two have been making the rounds together now for about a year. Not too long ago the study team observed Simon and Ellie May approaching three females, some of whom are at a stage to become pregnant. Arriving in the area were Bangle and Finch, a very dominant pair bond, and the four boys got into a brawl! There was a lot of white water breaking at the surface as they were battling for that top pair trophy! In the end, Simon and Ellie May slipped away from the area while Bangle and Finch went over to the three females. Another “W” in the win column for the reigning champs, but it was a good, hard-fought lesson for the challengers.

Males Jayson and Kona seem to be working at a bonding as well. Jayson is smaller than Simon and has a way to go to become a top challenger in the area, but this is the first time in more than a decade that the study team has witnessed a potential change in the hierarchy.

Why is this important to the males? There are a few reasons. First, the male pair bond dominance is recognized by the adult females and, just like the rest of the animal kingdom, the strongest males will win the rights to impregnate the females, offering an opportunity for the best and strongest bloodlines to the offspring. Secondly, as a pair bond follows a female, ready for the chance to mate with her, a single male will be in for a fight, by two big guys, if he approaches the female. The male pair bonds are recognized by the entire dolphin society.

With six dominant males taking control of the mating rights, the females will continue to look at these big boys to be the leading candidates to be the fathers. The new kids on the block will have to wait their turns or fight for the top posts.

One of the top males, Captain Jack, is getting old and appears to be slowing down a bit. This could create a break in his pair bond relationship with male Trixie, presenting an opening for Simon and his pal Ellie May to take a leading role. Time will tell.

One thing is sure, the main constant in life is that things change. So, it is in the world of the Marco Island dolphins. When will this happen? Nature will determine that. Right now, the dolphin study team on board the Dolphin Explorer will continue to monitor the males’ behaviors and will be there as the kings of the jungle fight it out for supremacy among the entire population. Stay tuned!

Bob is the Lead Naturalist for the dolphin study team on board the Dolphin Explorer. He is the author of two books and is twice a national award-winning columnist for Coastal Breeze News. He is a regular speaker at area venues and distributes quarterly reports of the team’s findings around the world. Bob loves his wife very much!