During the season of the courtship, the hierarchy still asserts itself more. It happens that the groups merge, so facilitating the meetings between their members. Males(mates) get closer to groups of females, the strongest trying to impress the youngest. Dolphins(dauphins) are polygamous, but do not live in harems. Females are often fertilized by several males(mates) during the same season. At big dolphins(dauphins), males(mates) are sexually mature at about 10 years, but often couple only beyond 15 years.

The bridal parades can last several weeks, during which males make uncountable acrobatic exploit. The capable of being fertilized females approach and the couples form. Eager for caresses, dolphins rub themselves against the pectoral fins of their partners. The coupling up itself of hard that from 15 till 20 seconds and takes place under the water.

 A MOTHER AND A GODMOTHER

 

The gestation lasts between 10 and 12 months according to the sorts. In the birth, young measure enters 70 and 110cm. Another female of the group helps the mother. Both lift(raise) him(it) and push him(it) delicately towards the surface so that he(it) takes his(its) first inspiration. The "godmother" also stays up young dolphin(dauphin) when her mother leaves to the hunting.

The young people sociabilisent very fast. A study was led on a group of tursiops 200, to Shark Bay (southwest rib(coast) of Australia). Twenty four of these animals formed couples young mothers. Dices the age of 4 months, the young people go away to more than 20 metres of their mother and played with the other members of the group.

But certain animals live in solitary persons. They are always adults, about whom we know if they were hunted(chased away) by the group or if they chose this way of life themselves. In 1989, L.Barry and his(her) team observed the schemes of false one solitary killer whale, not far from the coasts of Vancouver. The animal crossed(spent) 22 % of his(her,its) time to go hunting, 20 % to be played and to jump outside the water, 40 % to move and 18 % to be played near boats crossing around. Many solitary dolphins(dauphins) come meadows from coasts to play with the children and to be allowed caress(cherish). We explain badly this behavior.