Pregnancy in animals is a special physiological state of a female, which occurs at the moment of fertilization and ends with the birth of a baby. It is worth noting that pregnancy in mammals (with the exception of oviparous fish), reptiles and viviparous fish is significantly different.
The duration of pregnancy directly depends on the size of the animal itself and the environmental conditions in which it develops after its birth. The larger the living creature and the more developed it is, the longer its pregnancy and vice versa, but there are exceptions, which we will talk about later.
The most developed creature on Earth is man. A human child is born after a 9-month pregnancy, in other words, after 275 days spent in the womb. Around this period, women go into labor. The child is born almost fully formed. A human baby is called a child. An example with a person was given specifically for ease of comparison.
10th place. Cows
A female cow carries her baby longer than a human – 285 days is the average.
The gestation period, called in cows (lat. Bos taurus taurus) pregnancy can last from 240 to 311 days, so it is almost impossible to establish the exact date of birth (calving). It is recommended to stop milking 7.5 months after insemination, i.e. transfer it to dry wood. This is due to the fact that the last 3 months of pregnancy are the most active development of the fetus. The baby cow is a calf.
9th place. Alpine salamander
And here is the first exception to the rule - the alpine, or black salamander (lat. Salamandra atra), living in the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula and the Alps.
Her body length is 9-16 cm, and pregnancy lasts about 10 months (306 days). This is a viviparous animal. There are 30 eggs in the salamander’s oviduct, but they develop from only 2 larvae, while the remaining eggs turn into a yolk mass, which these larvae feed on. After all the transformations that take place in the body of the salamander mother, two fully formed and adult individuals will be born. Alpine salamanders live about 10 years.
8th place. Roe deer
In roe deer (lat. Capreolus) pregnancy lasts from 264 to 318 days, which is slightly more than 10 months.
Offspring are born in April-June. Before the start of childbirth (calving), the female goes to her birth area, where she masters it and drives away other roe deer. Scientists have found that most of the cubs are born in the daytime in meadows - approximately 74%, in the forest - 23% and in fields - 3%. A roe deer calf is a roe deer calf.
7th place. Buffaloes
In Asian (lat. Bubalus bubalis) and (lat. Syncerus caffer) pregnancy lasts about 300-345 days (10-11 months), after which one baby is born (twins are rare).
It is worth noting that only 20% of born calves survive to adulthood (they die from various diseases, heat and predators). A baby buffalo is a buffalo calf (the common name for cattle is a calf).
6th place. Horses
Pregnancy in a horse (lat. Equus) is quite long - from 335 to 340 days (sometimes longer than 11 months).
As a rule, one cub is born. If a male (stallion) is to be born, then the pregnancy lasts 2-7 days longer. A baby horse is a foal.
5th place. Domestic donkeys
Domestic donkeys (lat. Equus asinus) are smaller than horses, however, their pregnancy lasts longer - on average from 360 to 390 days (more than a year).
The cub feeds on mother's milk until 6-9 months; it begins to eat grass (little by little) 2 weeks after birth. Fully grown by two years. A baby donkey is a foal. The diminutive name for a donkey (regardless of age) is donkey.
4th place. Bactrian camels
Due to the long pregnancy, which lasts 360-440 days (13 months), female Bactrian camels (lat. Camelus bactrianus) bear offspring only once every two years.
According to some reports, pregnancy can last 411 days. The female gives birth standing, and the newborn calf can follow her within 2 hours after birth. The baby is a camel.
3rd place. Badgers
Three exceptions - (lat. Meles meles).
Although it is small (50-90 cm in length), pregnancy in a female badger can last quite a long time. If mating occurred in the summer, then the offspring will appear after 271-300 days, but if the mating period occurred in the winter, then the cubs will be born only after 400-450 days. A badger cub is a badger cub.
2nd place. Giraffes
Giraffe (lat. Giraffa camelopardalis) is one of the largest land representatives of the animal world. Pregnancy in females lasts from 14 to 15 months (428 to 459 days).
The female gives birth standing and the baby has to fall to the ground from an almost 2-meter height, so during birth the baby “comes out” feet first, in addition, the height of the newborn itself is about 2 meters. The baby is a giraffe.
1 place. Elephants
It is quite natural that the winners of this rating were elephants (lat. Elephantidae).
In both the African elephant and the African elephant, pregnancy lasts from 20 to 22 months (almost 2 years), so female elephants can give birth only once every four to five years. Usually one cub is born (very rarely - twins). The fetus is fully developed by 581 days (19 months), so the rest of the time it only increases in size. A baby elephant is a baby elephant.
We are once again convinced that the gestation period depends on the size and level of development of the animal. But as we see, there are exceptions.
It is logical to assume that every living creature on Earth has a different period of gestation for its young: for a human it is 9 months, for a giraffe it is as much as 15 months, and for a rabbit only 20 days are enough. What can be said about the largest mammal living on land - the elephant? An elephant's pregnancy is the longest, not only on earth, but in the entire animal kingdom - it lasts neither more nor less - 680 days, that is, approximately 22 months.
Elephants are characterized by high reproductive flexibility: in the presence of unfavorable conditions, such as lack of food due to drought, food competition and crowding, sexual maturity in both females and males occurs later, and the interval between births may increase.
It is also important to note that elephants are known for the greatest diversity in timing of maturity among mammals. For example, the minimum age at which elephants become ready to reproduce is 7 years, while in unfavorable conditions there have been cases of reaching sexual maturity at 18 or even 22 years. In addition, the habitat of animals is of great importance: the time of peak fertility of females largely depends on it.
The gestation period of an elephant is the longest among mammals - almost two years, or to be more precise - 20-22 months. A female elephant brings one already fully developed calf, while cases of twins are extremely rare (only 1-2% of births). The baby weighs approximately 90-120 kg, is about one meter tall, and has a short trunk without tusks. Childbirth traditionally takes place away from the herd, often accompanied by a “midwife.” Amazingly, already half an hour after birth the cub is able to rise to its feet and can follow its mother. However, it cannot be said that he immediately becomes independent - up to the age of four he needs maternal care, in addition, young sexually mature female elephants (from 2 to 11 years old) look after the baby, thus undergoing a kind of practice in preparation for the role of mother. According to research conducted in Kenya in 1992, there is a direct relationship between the number of "nannies" caring for the offspring and the survival rate of the cubs. Newborn elephant calves begin to eat solid food as early as 6 months, but mother's milk feeding can continue for up to 5 years. Childbirth usually occurs once every 2.5 - 9 years; the baby is traditionally kept with the mother until the next birth. As a study conducted in Addo National Park, which is located in South Africa, shows, 95% of sexually mature females under 49 years of age are either already pregnant or already nursing cubs.
Scientists once wondered how long pregnancy lasts in elephants, but now they are more interested in why these animals are characterized by such a long period of gestation. Thanks to modern ultrasound techniques, veterinarians have thoroughly studied embryos at all stages of an elephant's pregnancy in order to improve the captive breeding program, including, very importantly, artificial insemination.
Scientists have noted an extraordinary property of animals - a unique ovulation cycle. Such a long gestation period is associated, first of all, with a distinctive hormonal mechanism, one of a kind, since it has not been seen before in any other animal. The results of the scientists' research are of great importance. They will not only help ensure the conservation of elephant populations in the wild, but also increase the number of mammals of this species living in captivity, and, in addition, develop special contraceptives for those species that grow too quickly.
It is no coincidence that the baby elephant stays in the womb for such a long period of time - it is born practically prepared for an active physical and social life. Thanks to this, we can once again be convinced of how perfect and ideal the nature around us is.
The clear mind and excellent memory of elephants have made them a symbol of wisdom in Asian countries. At the same time, these majestic animals are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Book: there are less than 690 thousand of them left on the planet. What threatens the elephant family, how they live in captivity and how many years an elephant lives in natural conditions - find out from the article.
How many years do elephants live in the wild?
The lifespan of an elephant depends on the characteristics of its habitat. The elephant carries the baby for almost 2 years, after birth she feeds him with milk for another 2-3 years, and then he switches to plant foods. If the mother dies or the calf is separated from her for other reasons, this negatively affects its health and future life expectancy.
And they separate from their large family only in search of food. They can experience emotions and stress, feel sad, laugh, and even hug their trunks in a fit of joy. Until the age of 8–10 years, elephant calves are not able to protect themselves from predators and can die from their fangs. For grown-up elephants, the only dangers are droughts and humans: in pursuit of profit, hunters-poachers destroy animals for valuable tusks.
Under natural conditions, animals live on average to 60–70 years. They spend most of their time eating: 16 hours a day, absorbing 300–500 kilograms of plant food and 100–300 liters of water daily. Sleep only takes 2–4 hours.
Elephants are not picky eaters, but in order to chew plant foods, the condition of their teeth is important to them. Until the age of 40, they change in an animal several times. When the last remaining teeth wear out, the elephant dies from exhaustion.
Lifespan in captivity
Elephants began to be domesticated in the second half of the 20th century. The freedom-loving African elephants did not succumb, but the Indian ones turned out to be more accommodating and “allowed” themselves to be used as transport and heavy trucks on the farm.
Lifestyle changes and hard work shorten the elephant's age. However, with proper care, long-eared giants live a long time: the Taiwanese war elephant is known to have participated in the Sino-Japanese War and reached the age of 86 years.
In zoos, animals face physical inactivity due to the loss of their usual habitat. They become clumsy and clumsy. Elephants may suffer from unsuitable climate and food conditions and experience stress from separation from the herd. The lack of an example affects reproduction: the birth rate decreases, baby elephants die in childbirth or are born very weak, and mother elephants do not know how to raise them.
At the same time, in conditions close to the natural environment - in nature reserves and national parks - elephant populations develop successfully and, when fed with soft food, they can live even longer than in the wild - up to 75-80 years.
Video on the topic
The largest mammals that live on land cannot but arouse interest among people. Mysteries still remain in the behavior of these animals, whose brain weighs up to 6 kilograms, and whose average lifespan is equal to that of a human – 70 years. Matriarchy reigns in the elephant kingdom, males rarely stay close to females, the pregnancy of expectant mothers lasts an unusually long time, and elephant babies are raised “by the whole world.”
Brief characteristics of elephants
Since ancient times, these animals have been tamed to harness their strength and power, and they have taken part in great battles and long journeys. Scientists' interest in these giants was sparked by their ability to recognize themselves in a mirror image, hear and remember not only places and events, but also music, and make collective decisions. Unlike most animals, elephants recognize not only their relatives, even after a long separation.
They also show special feelings towards the dead. They always stop near the remains and spend some time, often touching the bones of the skeleton with the tip of their trunk, as if identifying the body. There are many interesting and even mysterious facts in the world of elephants.
With a length of 5 to 8 meters, the height of this animal can reach 3 meters or more, and its weight can be 5 to 7 tons. African elephants are larger than their Asian counterparts. The massive body is crowned by an equally huge head with a long trunk - an organ formed by a fused nose and upper lip.
This is interesting! This organ has a powerful system of muscles and tendons, thanks to which animals destroy centuries-old trees, easily carry logs from place to place, but are also able to cope with almost jewelry work: lifting coins, berries, even drawing.
The trunk helps to defend against attacks, obtain food, and with its help elephants communicate with each other. Tearing leaves from trees or uprooting young shoots, the elephant uses its trunk to put food into its mouth, drawing in water with it, not only watering itself, but also pouring it into its mouth to drink. The very large ears are riddled with blood vessels, which help lower body temperature during stifling heat.
Elephants’ not very good eyesight is compensated by their excellent hearing: 100 km away, animals hear the sound of thunder, “sensing” the approach of rainstorms. And elephants need constant movements of their ears not only to “cool down” the body, but also for communication - elephants use their ears to greet relatives, and can also warn against attacks from enemies. Elephants are able to produce and hear infrasounds, communicating with each other over vast distances.
It is no coincidence that these animals are called thick-skinned: the thickness of their skin reaches up to 3 cm. The hard, very wrinkled skin is covered with sparse hairs, and there is often a small tuft at the tip of the tail. Resembling huge columns of legs, the feet have a special pad of fat behind the downward-pointing toes, which allows the weight to be evenly distributed when walking and running. Most often, a herd of elephants moves slowly in search of food and water at a speed of no more than 6-8 km per hour, but they are also capable of running quite fast and swim well. Elephants only cannot jump - this is due to the special structure of their legs.
Features of reproduction
Females reach sexual maturity at 7 years old, but this does not mean that she will become a mother in the very near future. Sometimes the same number of years must pass before the female elephant is ready to bear offspring: only those animals that have gained a certain weight, strong and healthy animals become parents.
Herds of males and females travel separately; among the elephants you can often find people who love solitude. But female elephants prefer to spend their entire lives among “friends.” Only if a female elephant appears in the community ready to become a mother, will the male be allowed to approach her. In brutal fights for the right to be with a female, males are capable of injuring and killing an opponent. At this time, aggressiveness makes elephants very dangerous.
The paradoxes of the elephant body do not end there. These animals are able to control not only the moment of readiness to conceive, but also the duration of pregnancy. Under unfavorable circumstances, lack of food, a sharp drop in temperature, lack of conditions for normal growth and development, and frequent stress, an elephant’s first pregnancy can occur at 15 or even 20 years old. In captivity, these animals practically do not reproduce.
How long does an elephant's pregnancy last?
It is believed that there is a direct relationship between the timing of gestation and the size of the animal. The large one spends almost 2 years in the mother’s womb, although it is fully formed and ready to be born at 19 months. And they carry babies for 2 months less. But every pregnancy and birth is unique.
This is interesting! For the duration of pregnancy, not only the size of the expectant mother and her baby is important, but also age, diet, weather conditions, and the place where the herd is located.
The next time the female will be able to get pregnant only after complete recovery of the body, this requires at least 4 - 5 years, sometimes more. A female elephant gives birth to no more than 8 - 9 elephant calves in her life.
Motherhood, raising offspring
Feeling the approach of childbirth, the expectant mother leaves her herd, accompanied by an older elephant, in order to calmly relieve herself of the burden. But childbirth can also take place inside a circle in which animals stand, ready to protect the mother and her baby in case of danger.
A baby elephant (twins are very rarely born) is born fully formed, weighs up to 100 kg, and is at least 1 meter tall. Within an hour, the baby elephant can stand on its feet and follow the herd. The baby feeds on mother's milk, attaching itself to the elephant's nipples, which are located between the front legs. And tired on a long journey, the baby begins to touch or rub against his hind legs, demanding to stop.
A baby elephant can be fed not only by its mother, but also by any other mother who has milk.. Despite the rather strict hierarchy in the elephant community, they treat babies very kindly, caring for each one as if they were their own. The herd is led by the oldest, most experienced female, who leads everyone to the feeding place or watering hole, and decides when to stop for rest or overnight.
Males do not take any part in raising their offspring; females take on all the care. As a rule, a baby elephant stays close to its mother and often travels holding her tail with its trunk. But if there is a need, then other females will take care of him - they will feed him, comfort him, help him overcome obstacles along the way, and maybe even hit him lightly as punishment.
Sensing danger, elephants are able to run quite quickly. But the herd will never abandon its young brothers and expectant mothers. They are surrounded by a dense circle, through which no predator that can harm the babies will pass. Adult elephants have very few enemies, the most important of them being humans.
Important! The extraction of ivory led to the almost complete destruction of these animals - tusks were very valuable, even now, when elephants are listed in the Red Book, this does not stop poachers.
Elephant calves are raised in the maternal herd until they are 7–10 years old. Up to 6 months they eat only milk, then they begin to try solid food. But feeding with milk continues up to 2 years. Then the younger generation switches completely to plant-based foods. The tiniest baby elephants, who, like all children, love to play, get dirty, and sometimes “cry” from pain or resentment, are looked after by elephants - teenagers 3 - 11 years old.
If a baby gets into trouble, falling into a hole or getting tangled in vines, everyone around him will definitely respond to his call. Having wrapped their trunks around the baby elephant, they rescue him from the trap. Caring for babies continues for several years until they learn to cope with problems on their own.
However, after 10 - 12 years, the males are simply expelled from the herd, not allowing them to follow the females. Most often they continue their journey alone. Young females remain in the family until old age.