New Delhi: The period of pregnancy is always a challenging one for women, who have to adjust to many physical changes. While human pregnancy lasts for nine months, there are some animals whose pregnancy goes on for more than a year. And there is elephant, which can remain pregnant for up to 2 years, making it the longest gestation period among all living mammals. Nature is always full of surprises and it ensures that its children are evolved in such a way that they can survive out in the world. In this article, we will take a look at what makes the pregnancy of the elephants unique.
The pregnancy of elephants: A long journey
An animal’s gestation period can reveal a lot about its nature. Normally, the size and cognitive development of the animal determines the duration of its gestation period. For example, the Virginian opossum has the shortest gestation period among mammals as it lasts for just 12 days. In contrast, a large and intelligent animal like elephant has the longest gestation period of any mammal as it lasts for 22 months. African elephants are pregnant for an average of 22 months, whilst for Asian elephants it is 18 to 22 months.
Why is the pregnancy of elephants so long?
Thanks to the long gestation period, baby elephant can develop to its fullest extent before it comes out to the world. Elephants have to hit the ground running, literally right after their birth. An elephant can stand just 20 minutes after being born, and it can walk within an hour. Also, within a couple of days of its birth, an elephant will start walking with the herd.
Along with the body, the brain of elephant also needs to develop before its birth. Elephants are extremely intelligent person, and the structure of their brain is very similar to those of humans but with three times as many neurons. The long gestation period allows the brain to develop properly.
The birth of an elephant
Approximately, elephants give birth every four years, and they usually have only around four or five babies throughout their life. At birth, an African elephant calf can weigh almost 90.7 kilograms while an average adult human weighs about 82 kilograms. After its birth, the baby elephant will drink every day around 12 litres of milk and grow rapidly within its herd.
Elephant pregnancy boasts the longest gestation period of any mammal, lasting an incredible 22 months. This extended timeframe allows for the complete development of the calf’s large body and exceptionally complex brain. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
