Scientists believe that dolphins communicate with dolphins and choose partners not only for protection and food collection, but also to find mates.
Dolphins rarely mate for life. Dolphins live in pods that constantly vary in size, and the dolphins within a pod may die, leave, and replace old mates. However, some dolphins form exceptionally strong bonds and mate for life, but these are exceptional cases.
Dolphins, which live in groups of a dozen or more, are extremely social mammals that communicate via squeaks, whistles, and clicks. Dolphins are highly social animals, often living in groups of up to a dozen individuals, although group size and structure vary by species and location.
Scientists have noticed that dolphins often mate throughout the year, although females are only capable of breeding for a few months, which means that they are not guided by purely biological imperatives. In addition, these curious creatures do not have a true mating season, which means they can mate throughout the year. Male dolphins usually mate with several females each year, but females only mate once every two to three years. Although female dolphins may give birth every two years, in most cases there is a three-year interval.
Dolphin Gestation Periods
Depending on the species, dolphins have a gestation period of 9 to 17 months. Infants are exclusively dependent on female breastfeeding for more than 2 years (depending on species). Although females mature slightly earlier; around 5 to 13 years (Orbakh, D. et al., 2019).
Females reach sexual maturity between 7 and 10 years under human care, and male dolphins become sexually mature between 7 and 12 years. By the age of 20-25, bottlenose dolphins become reliable breeding partners. Male and female bottlenose dolphins have multiple partners in a given breeding season.
Male bottlenose dolphins form two to four strong alliances to keep away from females. Groups of male dolphins have been observed to form alliances, intimidating females to leave another group and join their own. To keep a female close, groups of male dolphins often perform threatening stunts by circling, jumping and rolling around her to make escape difficult.
The Normal Behaviors of Adult Male Dolphins
Adult male dolphins usually do not appear near females unless they are mating. Males sometimes sniff the female’s genitals as if trying to sense their receptivity, but because bottlenose dolphins give birth so infrequently, males may try to keep the female around even when she is not ovulating, in the hope that she will request their services when a precious moment of inspiration arrives.
According to dolphin sex researcher Dara Orbach, porpoises can be even more aggressive, waiting for the female to come to the surface to breathe, then jumping out of the water and trying to hook her with their penises.
During courtship, dolphins headbutt and scratch their teeth. In one particularly affectionate species, the humpback whale, males have been seen trying to win over females by giving them large sea sponges. The researchers also saw male humpback dolphins courting females with gifts of large sea sponges before mating.
Dolphin Reproductive Anatomy and Behavior
The vaginas of the common dolphin and harbor seal were found to be susceptible to penetration, suggesting that their genitalia evolved to allow access to males. While females have a genital slit that houses the vagina and anus, with milk slits on both sides. Males have two slits, one for the penis and one further back for the anus. Penises come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, especially in dolphins and other cetaceans.
In order to breed, dolphins must be belly to belly to match the dolphin’s genitals. Female dolphins have a bicornuate uterus, which means they have two internal genital horns, each of which acts like a uterus (Harrison 1969). The close presence of a calf usually indicates that a dolphin is female, but as with most mammals, a dolphin’s sex is best determined by its genitalia.
The sex life of whales and dolphins is surprisingly interesting, including a variety of positions, delicate vaginas and a rare penis that is basically always erect. In many surprising cases, dolphins also show affection for humans. “Other species that have sex year-round, such as bonobos and humans, have a reputation for enjoying themselves.
Dolphin mating occurs belly to belly; although many species engage in lengthy foreplay, the actual act is usually short, but may be repeated several times in a short amount of time. Dolphins have more than one partner and usually produce single offspring that stay with their mother for up to six years, depending on the species. Dolphins do not have a breeding season, it occurs at any time of the year. The Hawk Mountain Preserve in Pennsylvania notes that black vultures mate for life, and mated singers stay together all year round.
Additional Notes on Sea Animals and Their Reproduction
Certain types of seahorses are also monogamous and prefer to stay with one partner for life. Seahorses are just one of many sea creatures that mate for life, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. From seahorses and swans to grey foxes and gibbons, these are animals that mate for life. Don’t be discouraged, because while lobsters love to play in the wild, some animals mate for life.
The alpha male and alpha female mate for life and build their pack, producing one litter of pups a year. Female dolphins typically ovulate 2–7 times a year (Dierauf & Gulland, 2001), and the cycle typically lasts about 21–42 days (Robeck et al 2004, Schroeder 1990, Kirby & Ridgway, 1984). Bottlenose dolphins form a T-shape where the male crosses the female exactly along her midline.
