How big does a Amazon river dolphin get? Here is an overview over the average adult age:
A grown Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) reaches an average size of 2.12 meter (7′ 0″).
When born, they have an average size of 0 cm (0′ 0″). During their lifetime of about 30 years, they grow from 6.8 kg (14.99 lbs) to 121.22 kg (267.23 lbs). A Amazon river dolphin has 1 babies at once. The Amazon river dolphin (genus: Inia) is a member of the family Platanistidae.
As a reference: Humans reach an average body size of 1.65m (5′ 5″) while carrying 62 kg (137 lbs). A human woman is pregnant for 280 days (40 weeks) and on average become 75 years old.
The Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), also known as the boto, bufeo or pink river dolphin, is a species of toothed whale classified in the family Iniidae. Three subspecies are currently recognized: I. g. geoffrensis (Amazon river dolphin), I. g. boliviensis (Bolivian river dolphin) and I. g. humboldtiana (Orinoco river dolphin) while position of Araguaian river dolphin (I. araguaiaensis) within the clade is still unclear. The three subspecies are distributed in the Amazon basin, the upper Madeira River in Bolivia, and the Orinoco basin, respectively.The Amazon river dolphin is the largest species of river dolphin, with adult males reaching 185 kilograms (408 lb) in weight, and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) in length. Adults acquire a pink color, more prominent in males, giving it its nickname “pink river dolphin”. Sexual dimorphism is very evident, with males measuring 16% longer and weighing 55% more than females. Like other toothed whales, they have a melon, an organ that is used for bio sonar. The dorsal fin, although short in height, is regarded as long, and the pectoral fins are also large. The fin size, unfused vertebrae, and its relative size allow for improved manoeuvrability when navigating flooded forests and capturing prey.They have one of the widest ranging diets among toothed whales, and feed on up to 53 different species of fish, such as croakers, catfish, tetras and piranhas. They also consume other animals such as river turtles and freshwater crabs.In 2008, this species was ranked by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as being data deficient, due to the uncertainty regarding its population trends and the impact of threats. While hunting is a major threat, in recent decades greater impacts on population have been due to the loss of habitat and inadvertent entanglement in fishing lines.It is the only species of river dolphin kept in captivity, mainly in Venezuela and Europe; however, it is difficult to train and a high mortality is seen among captive individuals.
Animals of the same family as a Amazon river dolphin
We found other animals of the Platanistidae family:
- South Asian river dolphin with an average maximal age of 28 years
- Baiji with a size of 1.7 meter (5′ 8″)
- La Plata dolphin with 1 babies per litter
- South Asian river dolphin with 1 babies per litter
Animals with the same size as a Amazon river dolphin
Not that size really matters, but it makes things comparable. So here are a couple of animals that are as big as Amazon river dolphin:
- Pantropical spotted dolphin with a size of 2.14 meter (7′ 1″)
- Harp seal with a size of 1.72 meter (5′ 8″)
- Dall’s porpoise with a size of 1.97 meter (6′ 6″)
- Common tsessebe with a size of 1.7 meter (5′ 7″)
- Alpaca with a size of 1.72 meter (5′ 8″)
- Spectacled bear with a size of 1.77 meter (5′ 10″)
- Giant eland with a size of 2.52 meter (8′ 4″)
- Harp seal with a size of 1.73 meter (5′ 9″)
- Short-beaked common dolphin with a size of 2.44 meter (8′ 1″)
- Guadalupe fur seal with a size of 1.71 meter (5′ 8″)
Animals with the same litter size as a Amazon river dolphin
Here is a list of animals that have the same number of babies per litter (1) as a Amazon river dolphin:
- Colombian white-faced capuchin
- Brazilian big-eyed bat
- Grey seal
- Stein’s cuscus
- Melck’s house bat
- Silver dik-dik
- Earless water rat
- Long-legged bat
- Moonrat
- Japanese serow
Animals with the same life expectancy as a Amazon river dolphin
Completely different animals, but becoming as old as a Amazon river dolphin:
- Ring-tailed lemur with an average maximal age of 30 years
- Grey-cheeked mangabey with an average maximal age of 32.67 years
- American badger with an average maximal age of 26 years
- Common wombat with an average maximal age of 26.08 years
- Moose with an average maximal age of 25 years
- Greater horseshoe bat with an average maximal age of 30 years
- Guadalupe fur seal with an average maximal age of 24 years
- Brown long-eared bat with an average maximal age of 30 years
- Silvery lutung with an average maximal age of 31.08 years
- Bighorn sheep with an average maximal age of 24 years
Animals with the same weight as a Amazon river dolphin
As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Inia geoffrensis:
- Dall’s porpoise with a weight of 106.03 kilos (233.76 lbs)
- Striped dolphin with a weight of 142.05 kilos (313.17 lbs)
- Atlantic humpback dolphin with a weight of 100 kilos (220.46 lbs)
- Walia ibex with a weight of 99.77 kilos (219.95 lbs)
- Marsh deer with a weight of 111.76 kilos (246.39 lbs)
- Schomburgk’s deer with a weight of 107.63 kilos (237.28 lbs)
- Pacific white-sided dolphin with a weight of 109.85 kilos (242.18 lbs)
- Llama with a weight of 107.66 kilos (237.35 lbs)
- Rough-toothed dolphin with a weight of 130 kilos (286.6 lbs)
- Reindeer with a weight of 108.73 kilos (239.71 lbs)