What is dolphin milk like? How often do baby dolphins nurse?
Dolphin milk is extremely rich and fatty compared to human milk or cow’s milk. Mothers nurse their young about four times per hour during the first week of life, and gradually reduce nursing frequency thereafter. Since it is difficult to identify nursing among wild dolphins, data on nursing frequency comes from captive studies of dolphins. During a nursing bout, the calf suckles for several seconds. Is it true that the mother has another dolphin to help her look after the calf? Not necessarily. Although juvenile and adult females appear to be very interested in young calves, they do not assist in the birth and may or may not escort the calf while the mother forages. When the mother forages the calf is often alone, foraging as well or following the mother. Can newborn dolphins swim right from birth? Newborns can swim and breathe right from birth, but may need some assistance from the mother. The mother sometimes pushes her infant to the surface. Mothers and infants synchronise their bre
