Alarming research reveals why dolphins are dying younger

By Stephen Beech

Dolphins are dying seven years younger in the North Atlantic, warns “alarming” new research.

Common dolphins – among the ocean’s most abundant mammals – are living for an average of 17 years rather than 24 years in the 1990s, say scientists.

American rResearchers discovered that the longevity of female common dolphins has dramatically decline since 1997, a worrying trend that they say threatens not only the species but also the marine ecosystem it helps maintain.

Dr. Etienne Rouby, of the University of Colorado Boulder’s Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), said: “There is an urgent need to manage the population better.

“Otherwise, there is a risk for decline and, ultimately, extinction.”

Around six million common dolphins roam tropical and tempe