Here's a breakdown of a dolphin's life stages:
* Infancy: This is from birth to a few months old. The calves are completely dependent on their mothers for milk, protection, and learning the basics of life.
* Juvenile: This stage lasts for several years, during which dolphins continue to grow and learn essential skills like hunting and socializing. They typically stay close to their mothers but also start interacting more with other dolphins.
* Adolescence: This phase is marked by reaching sexual maturity, usually around 5-10 years old. Dolphins start to participate in mating and raising their own offspring.
* Adulthood: Dolphins remain sexually active and contribute to the group's social dynamics and raising young. This stage lasts for many years, with dolphins reaching their full size and experience.
* Geriatric: This is the later stage of life, where dolphins may become less active and reproduce less. However, they continue to play an important role in the social group, often acting as mentors and leaders.
It's important to note that there's no clear distinction between stages like "third stage" in dolphin life. Their development is gradual and continuous, with each stage blending into the next.