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Between 5 and 12 years old, the female dolphin reaches sexual maturity. The male does that between 10 and 12 years old. When the male wants to make a pass at the female, he raises his head and points his flukes down. If he has succeeded, the pregnancy lasts for about 12 months. They give birth in the water. If the calf's born, he stays close to his mother in the beginning. It's between 42 and 52 inches long after birth and it weighs about 44 pounds.
Just like every other mammal, the dolphin nurses her child. The little one sucks the mother's nipple, which takes only ten seconds, but they do it 3 to 8 times an hour, all day long. This goes on for 18 months. This helps the calf to produce a thick layer of blubber. When the valf is 3 or 4 years old, it starts eating fish and using their voice.
If the mother wants to give birth to another baby, she'll have to wait for at
least 2 years, although most mothers start reproducing again in three years.
A dolphin usually lives for 20 to 25 years, but their life can last for over 40
