Here's how it works:
* Milk Production: Female dolphins have mammary glands that produce a rich, fatty milk specifically designed for their calves' needs.
* Nursing Position: Dolphins nurse their calves underwater. The calf will swim alongside its mother and suckle from a teardrop-shaped mammary slit located in the mother's genital region.
* Frequency and Duration: The mother dolphin nurses her calf for a period that can last from 6 months to 2 years. The calf might nurse multiple times a day, depending on its age and hunger.
* Milk Composition: Dolphin milk is extremely nutritious, containing high levels of fats, proteins, and antibodies to provide the calf with the necessary energy and immune support for growth and development.
It's interesting to note that dolphins are mammals and are warm-blooded, just like humans. This means they give birth to live young and nurse them with milk, which sets them apart from fish and other marine animals.