Top 10 longest pregnancies in animals and features of their births

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.

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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.

Giving birth and caring for the baby

You already know how long pregnancy lasts for elephants. This process is long and not the easiest for expectant mother elephants. Most often only one cub is born; twins are the rarest case in this family. A newborn elephant calf weighs approximately 90 kilograms and is about 1 meter tall.

The elephant is a very smart, majestic and kind animal. Tactile contact is very important for them. Giants touch each other with their long trunks, thus showing affection and friendship. They grow throughout their lives, in the wild they live on average up to 50-60 years, in captivity they can live up to 70-90 years.

Differences in timing between dogs of different breeds

To determine the timing of thoroughbred animals, you need to start from their dimensions. The larger they are, the longer it takes to form fruits.

In small

Small breeds (Chihuahuas, Pekingese, Yorkies) carry their young for 55-60 days. Their offspring are always the most numerous.

Due to its modest dimensions, future mothers often encounter gastrointestinal problems. Their enlarged uterus begins to crowd the stomach, so food is made as high in calories as possible, but small in volume.

In the middle ones

Average dogs (boxers, huskies, spaniels) are less likely to suffer from complications, and the number of embryos is always determined by chance. The entire process takes 60-63 days.

In large

Large representatives (wolfhounds, mastiffs, mastiffs) remain pregnant for 63-65 days, but sometimes the period is extended to 72 days. This is due to the cubs being too large and requiring a long time to develop. Despite the small number of offspring, childbirth often occurs with complications due to the problematic passage of overgrown babies through the birth canal.

Caring for the expectant mother

During the period of bearing offspring, protect your pet from stress factors. Avoid meeting new people and staying in noisy places.

Remember that any cold will be more severe than usual. Do not let your pet sleep on a cold floor and make sure that her place is protected from drafts.

Particular attention will have to be paid to feeding and physical activity. Also, do not forget to prepare the “nest”, that is, the future place for childbirth.

Feeding

For full development, embryos will need vitamins A, B, D and E. They can be added directly to food, checking the brand with your veterinarian. To form bone structure, the diet is enriched with calcium. It will also be necessary to increase the amount of proteins that perform a construction function. You need to return to the previous amount of protein food 10 days before birth, and 5 days before giving it up completely.

In the first month, feedings are carried out 2 times a day, in the second - 3 times a day, and shortly before birth - 4-5 times a day. Try to keep carbohydrates to a minimum to prevent obesity. The easiest way to feed your animal is pregnancy food.

Walking and activity

Reduce the length of the route while maintaining the duration of the walk. A pregnant pet will become slower, so it will take more time for her to cover the usual distances. If you feel tired, listen to the animal and return home.

It is better to increase the number of walks up to 3 times. This will be needed to relieve the burden on the bladder, which is being compressed by the enlarged uterus. If this is not possible, stock up on diapers. A tray is suitable for small dogs.

Running, jumping and walking on stairs are prohibited. Try to carry your pet in your arms or use the elevator more often.

Hygiene

No innovations in hygiene procedures are required. Treat your eyes and ears as usual. Wash your paws after every walk. Entire bathing is best done only as a last resort. After washing, be sure to dry your pet with a towel and hairdryer to prevent hypothermia.

Preparing for childbirth

In the second half of the 4th week, prepare the birth area. If your pet does this on her own, she will definitely choose a secluded corner behind the sofa, where it will be difficult for her to provide help if necessary. Make sure that the design you choose is safe, retains heat well, and appeals to the expectant mother.

7 days before giving birth, contact your surgeon or prepare all the necessary instruments yourself. Try to arrange a vacation from work in advance to support your pet in the first days.

Giraffe, 14-15 months

Conception occurs during the rainy season. Small giraffes in dry weather. Pregnancy lasts a very long time, up to 15 months. Females give birth while standing or, surprisingly, even while walking. Usually one individual is born; twins are rare.

A newborn giraffe weighs about 65 kilograms and can reach 2 meters in height. During birth, the animal falls from a height, but after 15 minutes it can get up.

Of course, at first the little giraffe needs its mother. The cub remains next to her for up to 12 - 14 months, depending on the sex.

Lifestyle

Elephants are considered the largest animals that can be found on land. These giants belong to the class of mammals and are very social animals. Their natural habitat is Southeast Asia and Africa.

Elephants live in families, and complete matriarchy reigns in families, and males are expelled from the herd at a young age (or they leave on their own). Adult males live solitary lives and approach the family only to mate with a mature female. An elephant family consists of the eldest elephant, her daughters (with children) and other female relatives.

By nature, elephants are nomads. It is the eldest female who leads her family in search of food, and she decides where to go, where and how long to rest.

These huge animals are very sociable and enjoy communicating with their own kind. Tactile contact plays a huge role in the life of giants. They touch each other with their trunks, stroke them as a sign of greeting, and the older ones kick the younger ones as punishment. Members of the same family treat each other with great attention; special care and attention is given to a sick or dying elephant.

The question of how long pregnancy lasts in elephants has long remained controversial in scientific circles. But today, thanks to the observations, research and documentation of zoologists, much is known about the pregnancy period, childbirth and subsequent care of the baby of these powerful herbivores.

Asian and African buffalo, 300 - 345 days

Asian buffaloes breed regardless of the time of year, African buffaloes breed exclusively during the rainy season. Pregnancy lasts 10–11 months.

African and Asian buffalo (newborn) differ in color, the first is black, the second is yellow-brown. Their weight ranges from 40 to 60 kilograms.

Usually one individual is born at a time. A few minutes after giving birth, the buffalo can follow its mother. The female feeds her cub for up to 6 – 9 months.

Peculiarities of reproduction in elephants

Adult male elephants, both African and Indian, tend to lead a solitary lifestyle. Only young males who have not yet reached the age of sexual maturity unite in temporary groups that are not associated with females, while females live together. Typically, males become sexually mature when they reach the age of 15 to 20 years, after which every year they experience a condition called “must” in Urdu, which means “intoxication.” During this period, when the level of testosterone in the body of males increases significantly, they can even be dangerous, as they behave quite aggressively.

According to zoologists, in fights elephants can receive serious and even fatal injuries, after which the winner drives all his rivals away from the female, and then spends about 3 weeks with her.

According to a number of experts, in African elephants the “must” goes away less pronounced, starting later, usually after 25 years.

Typically, sexually mature males approach the elephant herd only if one of the females has begun so-called estrus. If the rest of the time the males are quite tolerant of their relatives, then during this period they arrange mating fights, especially if their feeding territories intersect.

Elephants can breed at almost any time of the year, it only depends on when the female begins estrus. If the full estrous cycle lasts for about 4 months in female elephants, then the suitable time for copulation lasts only 2-4 days. The males, approaching the herd at this time, begin to engage in mating fights. As a result, only mature and strongest dominant individuals participate in reproduction.

Domestic donkey, 360 - 390 days

For domestic donkeys, the breeding season usually occurs from February to July. The female carries the baby for more than a year. One individual is born.

A newborn domestic donkey is well developed, but you shouldn’t rush and separate him from his mother. Animals need mother's milk for up to 8 months; during this period, you need to teach the little donkey to eat from the parent's feeder. Their weight is from 8 to 16 kilograms.

Donkeys are very stubborn animals. There are many stories of people trying to separate a donkey and her baby, but the consequences were not very good. Fierce resistance on both sides is guaranteed. Therefore, it is better to wait a little and not rush into weaning. Moreover, young animals will not be capable of hard work for a long time.

reptiles, fish, insects, invertebrates

Pregnancy and birth of baby elephants

The gestation period of elephants is the longest among all mammals. Females carry their young for 18 to 21.5 months. At the same time, according to scientific data, the fetus can be considered fully formed by 19 months; subsequently it only grows, increasing in size. How long a particular elephant will carry a baby depends on a number of factors: time of year, age of the female, amount of food, etc.

When the female elephant is preparing for the birth of her baby, the other females surround her, forming a wall around the woman in labor. After giving birth, the female begins to defecate - this way the baby elephant can remember the smell of her feces, which will help him keep up with his mother in the future. Within 2 hours after birth, elephant calves can usually stand on their feet and suck milk. At this time, the mother sprinkles dust and earth with her trunk so that the newborn’s skin dries out and the smell does not attract predators.

It is interesting that all females of the herd who are in lactation during this period feed the newborn calf.

After a few more days, the baby elephants are already able to walk with the rest of the herd. In this case, the baby holds onto the tail of its mother or sister with its trunk. At the age of 6-7 months, elephant calves begin to eat plant foods, and before that they eat their mother’s feces, thus receiving not only undigested nutrients, but also various symbiotic bacteria useful for the absorption of cellulose.

Interesting Facts

For many, the fact of how long pregnancy lasts for elephants is in itself interesting and arouses curiosity. But nature has awarded these amazing animals with various unusual abilities and qualities, which is often the reason for the spread of legends and popular expressions:

• Despite their size, elephants are very good swimmers.
• They have well-developed self-awareness for representatives of the animal world; they recognize themselves in the mirror.
• They use tools, for example, using a branch as a fly swatter.
• Studies have shown that they have a very good memory (they complete tasks in the study, and in the wild they recognize their relatives).
• There is a legend that elephants are afraid of mice, because one small rodent can crawl into the trunk and block the air supply. It is not true. Even if a mouse gets into the trunk, the elephant will blow it out with furious force.
• These animals have a well-developed ear for music and memory; they are able to distinguish three-note melodies.
• The ears are used to regulate body temperature and fan themselves.
• The pattern of veins on the ears of elephants is as unique as a human fingerprint.
• Adults sleep standing up.
• They can jump because they only have 2 kneecaps.