he elephant is the second largest mammal in the world, after the blue whale. Elephants, like most mammals, give birth to their offspring alive, not in eggs. However, you may not fully understand how these animals mate. Do elephants mate for life? Can they mate on a whim? What factors affect their mating process? There are a lot of unknowns about these heavy animals, especially given their size. It’s easier to imagine lighter animals like dogs mating, but large ones are gigantic, weighing over 10,000 pounds.
There is a myth that male elephants nibble on the ears of females to induce pregnancy. This article supersedes myths and rumors by revealing the science behind elephant mating.
When do elephants reach sexual maturity?
Sexual maturity is defined as the age at which female animals first ovulate and the presence of abundant viable spermatozoa in male animals. Bulls usually mature a year or two later than cows.
Research shows that elephants reach sexual maturity around the age of 11 to 14. However, individual elephants sometimes break out of the norm, reaching sexual maturity at 8 years old, and some at 30 years old.
In general, the maturity of female elephants is influenced by forage resources and local climate, among other ecological factors. Unlike females, males usually leave the herd they were born in for a period of time after they mature.
Elephant fever: what exactly is it?
Estrus in female elephants has been described as the time when a female is receptive to mating, and her hormones promote ovulation. The average time between heats is reported to be about 16 weeks. Therefore, female elephants can only breed three times a year. These elephants were able to undergo their first thermal cycle as early as 9 years old.
Cows do not show any obvious signs of heat like cows do. If the female is in heat, her vulva will relax a bit, and she may dribble. Occasionally, a female will slap her vulva with her tail or raise her tail to attract a male.
Men can tell by sniffing a woman’s sex organs and urine. Therefore, elephant caregivers can usually tell if a female is in heat by having the male elephant sniff the vulva. The giveaway will be the male’s excitement when he catches the scent of a female in heat. Male elephants can detect sex pheromones through the Jacobson’s organ on the roof of the mouth.
Elephant Musth: What the hell is it?
Musth is a period of increased sexual activity and testosterone levels in male elephants, usually in their teens or early twenties. The musth phase has been reported to be characterized by increased aggression, a strong urine odor, a low-frequency sound called a musth rumble, and swollen and secreting temporal glands.
Spermatogenesis, the formation of sperm, begins at about age 10 in male elephants. However, they are only produced in sufficient numbers at 17 years old. Male elephants experience musth for the first time during this period, as their rate of growth in height slows down so they can put on more weight. They are usually large enough to ride females, but they only sometimes succeed as they compete with adult elephants for females.
During musth, male elephants seek out herds of females and compete with other males for the right to mate with hers. Sometimes these struggles for dominance can be deadly.
The musty smell in young males can last for days. However, the older they are, the longer the must period. Male elephants, around 16 to 35 years old, can have mildew periods for several weeks, while 40-year-old male elephants can have mildew periods for as long as three to four months. However, this period shortens once an elephant turns 50.
How do elephants mate?
Mating in elephants usually occurs during the female heat cycle. Males need experience, size and strength to ride females. The experience part is important because the man has to know where to place his long, curved penis in the female reproductive tract, which is also long and curved.
After winning a race, the male may still have to chase the female around before she can be caught. The female remains standing while the male mounts her, standing almost vertically, using his body weight and forelimbs to hold her in place while penetrating her reproductive tract. Young elephants are easily pushed away by females.
According to some reports, elephant sex usually lasts about two minutes, after which the male will stay with the female for a while before leaving. According to news reports, females allow larger and older elephants to mate with them for various reasons, such as a higher chance of pregnancy success and protection from other males. Also, bigger males may have stronger genes that can be passed on to offspring.
Elephants do not mate for life, nor are they bound to each other. Females may sometimes mate with another bull during heat cycles, while males can also mate with multiple females in the herd.
How long is an elephant pregnant?
Elephants have the longest gestation period in the world, lasting an average of 22 months. The figurines weigh about 200 to 300 pounds at birth and stand about 3 feet tall. However, their large size is not the only reason for the long gestation period.
Scientists think intelligence may be a factor. Humans and chimpanzees have a similar gestation period of about nine months and eight months respectively, while dolphins, known to be very intelligent, have a gestation period of up to a year.
Elephant births theoretically take longer for babies’ brains to develop enough to survive outside the womb. No wonder elephants have the largest brains of any land animal.
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.
