Play

in the open sea dolphins are very activ and playful. Sometimes they enjoy theirselves by riding the bows of ships for hours. Often dolphins execute graceful, arched leaps, that are often interpreted as play.

Communication

Dolphins communicate with each other by the form as touch as well as an enormous variety of sounds(like clicking, whistle, cracking...).

Sleeping

Ech day dolphins need about 8h of sleep. As they still have to get up to the surface to breath during this time dolphins only sleep with one half of the brain at a time.

Social behaviour

Dolphins have a very social organisation and hierarchy which shows in the living in large schools that vary between a few animals up to 1000. Even though the members of a group ain't fix dolphins need physical contact which shows in frequent touching with flipers or mouth.

The school helps ill, weak or hurt dolphins to stay at the surface to breath. They also often use teamwork in danger - if they feel disturbed they even dare to attack sharks.

hunting

Young dolphins learn hunting by imitating other animals. During hunting they use echolocation for orientation. Therefore they send sound-waves and by usage of the melone they get very specific information about the distance to the object. By that can be formed at least 32 different tones which help for orientation. Consequently dolphins can catch even fast swimming prey during absolut darkness.

 Often they are hunting in groups sometimes developing amazing hunting strategies.

Sexual behaviour

Dolphins have a excessive sexual life - they spend c. 80% of their life with sex play. For them sex is more than just copulation...they enjoy it with other dolphins (regardless of size, age, sex, relationship...)...even with other species, tuna, turtels...even lifeless object are used for masturbation.

The genital areas of dolphins

            male                                       female

The sex of the dolphins can be determined by the genitals where the females are distinguished by one single slit (which contains the genital opening, the urinary tract opening as well as the anal opening) and the males by two seperate slits (one genital slit in which the penis is hidden and one anal slit)

Because of the stronger blood circulation a sexual excitement can be distinguised by a rose tone at the belly.

Propagation

During propagation dolphins cherish an extended prelude which is distinguished by close body contact. Following the prelude the male enters with his penis into the females vulva. The copulation ensues belly at belly with often using creative positions. As the penis of the male doesn't contain corpus cavernosum the female has to stimulate an errection by musclecontradiction. Following he squirts about 100ml with enormous pressure in the dolphin vulva. Dolphins corpulate during the whole year with up to 50 corpulations a day.

Birth & raising

Most births occur during the summer months after a 9-12 months-pregnancy with mostly one calf being born fluke first with depending on species c. 80-100cm. Immediately after birth the mother and often other school members lift the calf to the surface to do its first breath. Dolphins nurse about 18-19 months. Though some species are already able to catch and feed solid food earlier. The supply of mothermilk results after mouth contact by the calf through two pull-out teats next to the genital wrinkle.