How long do elephants wear?

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Every mammal has a different length of pregnancy. Pregnancy in humans lasts nine months and in horses 11-12 months. But how long do elephants actually carry? It is always said that this time is particularly long.

Baby elephants are quite large.
Baby elephants are quite large. © joakant / Pixelio

That is why mammals carry out differently

Just as the breeding season can vary in length, mammals also carry their babies to term for different periods of time. This is due to the following reasons, among others:

  • Humans can carry their babies relatively briefly because humans no longer live in the wild. Thus, he can risk that his child will be born dependently.
  • Other genera have to give birth to their offspring in a more developed way, as it is necessary that they can run after a few hours. Otherwise the mother and her offspring would be exposed to their enemies without protection.
  • If you compare all the gestation times with each other, it can be seen that the gestation time becomes longer, the more developed a baby animal is born. Of course, other reasons can also play a role.

Interesting facts about the elephants

  • The cycle of a cow elephant lasts three to four months, which automatically means that she can only be mated three to four times a year. If the egg cell is then fertilized, not only one corpus luteum grows, but up to six of these hormone-producing commercial species.
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  • Scientists also claim that the elephants' metabolism is slower. Large animals also take longer to grow.
  • Another reason for the long pregnancy of these wild animals could be that the newborn has to run with the herd immediately. To do this, it must be able to hold onto its mother's tail with its trunk. In order to be able to do this, the foal has to be very well trained.

That is how long pregnancy lasts

  • A long pregnancy is required for a baby elephant to grow up and develop the brain accordingly. For this reason, elephants carry their baby for an average of 22 months.
  • Given that an elephant is born weighing between 100 and 150 kilograms, this long gestation period seems justified. Perhaps that is also the reason why a cow elephant can so rarely get pregnant so that she is not overloaded.

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