poor elephants ?
How Long Pregnancy Lasts for These 16 Animals
The average human pregnancy is 40 weeks. This gives mothers ample time to think of a name, get all the baby essentials, and prepare a nursery. However, there are members of the animal kingdom that carry their babies in their bellies for as short as a few weeks or as long as over a year and a half.
We at Bright Side are fascinated with all signs of life from the time of conception to birth and beyond. Just wait until you see how extensive some of these animal pregnancies are.
1. Opossum, 12 days
A species of opossums known as the Virginian opossum is known to have the shortest gestation period in the animal kingdom. Imagine having to think of your child’s name in less than 2 weeks!
2. Guinea pig, 60 days
A guinea pig’s pregnancy lasts between 59 to 72 days, which can result in a litter of 1 to 8 furry babies.
3. Cat, 63 days
4. Dogs, 65 days
The pregnancy of a dog depends on its size, breed, and age. The larger the dog, the more likely it is to have more puppies.
5. Raccoon, 65 days
A raccoon’s typical mating season is during the winter so they can give birth to their young in the spring.
6. Tiger, 110 days
7. Pig, 115 days
Pigs can give birth to up to 10 piglets, twice a year. Imagine having 20 babies in a span of 365 days!
8. Panda, 135 days
One of the reasons why pandas are considered an endangered species is because they’re unable to reproduce as quickly as other animals. They usually only give birth to one cub at a time, every 2 years.
9. Lemur, 135 days
10. Bear, 220 days
It’s uncommon to see bears together unless it’s mating season. Cubs are born at the beginning of the year between January and February and stay with their mothers until they’re 2 to 3 years old.
11. Seal, 280 days
Like humans, seals are pregnant for about 9 months but can remain pregnant for 11 months.
12. Horse, 365 days
By the time a mare is ready to give birth, her baby is about 10% of her weight, which means the foal can be 100 pounds!
13. Beluga whale, 450 days
14. Giraffe, 465 days
15. Walrus, 600 days
Although walruses live in large groups on ice packs or on the shore, their mating takes place privately underwater. At birth, one walrus pup can weigh about 130 pounds.
16. Elephant, 665 days
Elephants have a gestation period of 95 weeks! That’s more than double a human pregnancy. Because of this, elephants give birth to about 4 calves in their lifetime.
Which of these pregnancy lengths surprised you? How long do you wish your pregnancy could be?
Comments

Related Reads
I Refuse to Let My Daughter, 12, Share a Room With Her Stepbrother, 14

I Thought My Wife and I Had Trust—Then I Found Something Shocking

12 Kids Whose Words Made Us Laugh Out Loud

10 True Stories With Twists That Belong in a Bestseller

My Mother-in-Law Left Me Heated, Calling Our Home “Her Son’s” and Following Up with a Shocking Request

My Husband Kept Telling Me That My Body Stinks, I Just Found Out Why He Did It and I’m Raging

My Daughter Wants Me to Take Care of Her Kids After Abandoning Me

I Found My Childhood Diary. It Revealed a Family Secret I Was Never Meant to Know

18 Stories About Family Members Who Are Worse Than Strangers

“He Needs Surgery,” Fans Urge Tom Cruise to Get Anti-Aging Procedures, As He Is Deemed Unrecognizable at 61

10 Mothers-in-Law Who Carry Drama With Them Like It's a Family Heirloom

I Was Furious When Dad Got Married After Mom’s Death — Until Christmas Revealed the Truth
