The scientists hypothesize that the long gestation period allows for full brain development of elephants, which are born with complex cognitive skills and are immediately able to sense how to survive in their environment and interact with the herd.
Can elephants be pregnant for 2 years?
Elephants give birth around every four years, and given their pregnancies can last around two years, that is quite a lot! Although elephants can live for 60-70 years, they typically only have about four or five babies during their lives. Even so, that's still a large chunk of their lifetime spent being pregnant.
What animal has the longest pregnancy?
Elephants have the longest pregnancy period of any living mammal. If you – or someone you know – has experienced a pregnancy that seemed to go on forever, spare a thought for the elephant. It's the animal with one of the longest gestation periods of all living mammals: nearly two years.
Can an elephant be pregnant for 5 years?
Elephants have the longest gestation period of all mammals. These gentle giants' pregnancies last for more than a year and a half.Mar 2, 2011
What is the animal with the shortest pregnancy?
The shortest known gestation is that of the Virginian opossum, about 12 days, and the longest that of the Indian elephant, about 22 months. In the course of evolution the duration of gestation has become adapted to the needs of the species.
The mystery of the elephant's long pregnancy has been unravelled by scientists. A quirk of biology allows the unborn calf to develop in the womb for almost two years, giving it the brain power it needs to survive from birth.Jun 20, 2012