Elephants are among the smartest and largest animals on Earth. With such a large size and brain power, it’s no surprise that making a baby elephant was no easy feat. In fact, elephants have so much development to do in the womb that they actually have the longest gestation period of any creature on Earth. That’s right, elephants have the longest gestation period of any animal, even longer than rhinos, blue whales, and humans.
Let’s take a look at how long an elephant’s gestation period is, and learn more about the elephants themselves in the process.
elephant background
There are two extant elephants: the African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). African elephants are the largest land mammals on Earth, and Asian elephants are slightly smaller. Both types of elephants have a very long gestation period, but the African elephant actually has the longest gestation period in the world. For years, scientists have been working to figure out why and how elephants conceive for so long.
Let’s take a closer look at elephants and their years-long gestation period.
physical dimension
Africans appear to be the largest land mammals on Earth; they can reach 13 feet at the shoulder and weigh more than 10 tons. They have gray, leathery skin, large flapping ears, and two protruding tusks. But perhaps their most distinctive feature is their elongated trunk, which they use to grab food and manipulate objects.
Asian statues are not as large as African statues; they grow to about 9 feet at the shoulder and weigh about 4 tons. Like African elephants, Asian elephants have long trunks, but only the males have tusks. Their ears are also smaller than those of African elephants, and their foreheads are higher and more pronounced.
range and habitat
African like lives in scattered ranges throughout Africa. Historically, they occupied most of the African continent. But today, due to habitat loss and fragmentation, only a fraction of their former range remains. Africa is like a generalist in habitat, with some populations favoring woodlands, while others prefer grasslands and savannahs.
Asia is like the largest land mammal in Asia. Historically, they occupied the entire Indian subcontinent, Asia, Southeast Asia, and the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, among others. Like African statues, Asian statues today occupy only a small fraction of their former homeland. These elephants mainly inhabit forests.
How long is an elephant pregnant?
Elephants have the longest gestation period of any creature on earth. Asian elephants have a gestation period of 18-22 months, while African elephants have a full 22 months. Only two months away from two years of pregnancy! Female elephants start ovulating between the ages of 10 and 12, while bulls don’t become sexually mature until around 14 or 15 years old. Typically, young bulls do not get a chance to mate until they are much older and have moved up the complex social hierarchy.
Why are elephants pregnant for so long?
In general, the larger the animal, the longer the gestation period. but why? Larger animals take more time to grow, and because of their size, they also tend to live longer, which coincides with longer gestation times. But that’s not all about elephant pregnancy.
Scientists have discovered that one of the biggest reasons elephants conceive for so long is their brains. Large elephants are born with all the brain cells they need, 250 billion to be exact. It takes a lot of development and time to grow those big heads. This is why elephants are pregnant for at least 18 months, so when they are born, they are ready to start learning everything an elephant needs to know to survive.
Elephant Pregnancy and Conservation
Elephants are among the most magnificent and endangered creatures on our planet. Their massive bodies and brains make them especially vulnerable to one thing: extinction. If a herd of elephants disappears, it will take a long time to replace them. The gestation period of an elephant is nearly two years. After that, the calf stays with the mother for up to ten years, which means the mother only gives birth to a calf every 4-5 years. Elephants reproduce slowly and grow slowly, making them particularly vulnerable to extinction.
Can elephants have twins?
Twins, or two children per pregnancy, are extremely rare among elephants. Elephant pregnancies produce twins about 1 percent of the time. Unfortunately, even though both calves survived birth, almost none of them survived to adulthood. The reason for this is simple; baby elephants need a lot of nutrition to thrive. A mother elephant simply cannot produce enough milk to feed her two hungry calves. In recent years, some twins have been rescued by elephant rescue groups, which raise them and reintroduce them into semi-wild environments when they are old enough.
Which animal has the shortest gestation period?
If elephants have the longest gestation period, which animal has the shortest gestation period? That title belongs to the Virginia opossum, which can be pregnant for up to 12 days. Opossums are marsupials, which means their young are born inside an external womb called a pouch. They still have a lot of development to do, especially after such a short time in the womb. That’s why marsupials have the shortest gestation period of any animal — because they have an extra uterus on the outside where the baby can finish growing.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
