Gentle
nibbling characterizes the courtship of those smaller cetaceans that have
been observed in captivity. A male accompanies a receptive female, the
two animals swimming together in close contact with much rubbing and stroking,
nuzzling and nibbling, much of which is directed to the genital region
of the partner, much as a dog follows a bitch in heat and by his actions
stimulates her into receiving him.
The
mating itself only takes about 15 to 20 seconds!
Much
still needs to be learned about reproduction in dolphins. The young are
born in the late summer and autumn. As in all cetaceans, a single calf
is born tail first. As soon as it is born, the calf is encouraged to the
surface by the mother. Soon after it has orientated itself, it seeks the
nipple. Like most mammalian mothers, the female dolphin helps the young
to its goal, by positioning herself to its best advantage.
Soon
after birth the female comes into oestrus and is mated. Maternal care is
intense. The mother ensures that her offspring stays with her all the time
and it it wanders, quickly retrieve it sometimes with physical admonition.
Just
after birth the firm union between mother and young is established. Their
mutual recognition of each other as dependent individuals, rest almost
certainly on sound, unlike many landmammals which often depend on smell.
