Females can ovulate without males around, but males can stimulate a females ovulation cycle if they are introduced into the equation. During this time, there is very little room in the uterus for a baby to develop. As a result, and to make birth easier, the tail fluke and dorsal are cartilaginous and are folded over in the uterus. The organs are also located beneath the developing baby, which could be the reason for a female gaining more girth during pregnancy and not developing a bulge. Another good reason for the flukes and dorsal to remain floppy during pregnancy is to make the birthing process a little easier.
Mothers double their intake of food following the birth of their babies.
Intervals between calves vary from about three to five years. We are now able to take blood tests and determine progesterone levels, which can indicate if a female is pregnant. Pregnancies are no longer the surprise they used to be before the current testing methods were established. This knowledge gives us the opportunity to place the mom in a good birthing situation. When a female has tested positive for pregnancy, we ensure that she is in a positive birthing environment, which includes a protected lagoon and compatible female pool mates that have some birthing experience.