Stacy Conradt
The Quick 10: 10 Gestation Periods in the Animal Kingdom
by Stacy Conradt - March 18, 2010 - 5:09 PM

q10

So, I’m pretty much done being pregnant. I mean, I’m not – I’m only 30 weeks – but mentally, I’m over this. But I really shouldn’t be complaining – 40 weeks is nothing compared to some of the animal kingdom. Of course, it’s also a really long time compared to others. By the way, when a pregnant woman tells you she’s tired or achy or {insert crappy ailment here}, don’t respond with “Be glad you’re not an elephant; they gestate for 22 months!” because you will probably get punched. Just sayin’.

1. Elephants – anywhere from 600-660 days is normal. If you’re thinking “You know, I’ve never seen an elephant give birth,” I can help you out. You know that scene in The Shining where the blood gushes out of the elevator? Yeah, it’s kind of like that. But the part after that is pretty cool.

babyrhino2. Hippos – eight months. Yes, it takes less time to make a hippopotamus than it takes to make a human. COME ON!
3. Giraffe – 14-15 months. A baby giraffe made the news in December when she was born at the Calgary Zoo in Canada. She was on the small side for a baby giraffe, coming in at a mere 5’10” and 130 pounds. Another fascinating tidbit: giraffes give birth standing up, so it’s pretty normal for a baby to fall six feet to the ground.

4. Killer Whale – 17 months. But there’s a good reason for that – after that 17 months, Baby Shamu emerges weighing anywhere from 265-353 pounds and measuring about 8.5 feet long. Yikes.
5. Opossum – 12-13 days, which is one of the shortest gestation periods we know of in a mammal. But since the lifespan of an opossum is only two to four years, this makes sense.
6. Gerbils – 23-26 days.

7. Gorillas – 8.5 months. It’s not a huge surprise that their gestational periods are pretty similar to ours, right?

8. Grizzly/Black Bears – 220 days. Also less than a human. Not. Fair.
pork babies9. Porcupine – 112 days, which is the longest gestation period of any rodent. And surely the most painful. I kid – porcupine babies (AKA porcupettes) are actually born with soft quills – it’s not until after birth that they harden up. Picture from ZooBabies.com. By the way, if you’re a fan of CuteOverload, you should definitely check out ZooBorns. They have baby animal pictures of everything from aardvark to zebra. It’s pretty fascinating. There’s even a baby beluga.

10. Walrus – 15 months. Baby walruses? Not so cute.

And congrats to our own Will Pearson, whose baby recently completed gestation. We’ve got a new generation of _flossers coming up!

More from mental_floss…

6 Animals That Show Mother Nature’s Sense of Humor
*
10 Technologies We Stole From the Animal Kingdom
*
8 Amazing Octopus Videos
*
Watch Male Seahorses Giving Birth

twitterbanner.jpg

shirts-555.jpg

tshirtsubad_static-11.jpg

« Previous Post   -   Next Post »
Click here to get a Risk-Free issue of mental_floss magazine
Comments (23)

  1. You should also note that baby pigs take almost exactly 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days. At least that’s what a farmer friend told me once.

    posted by Jake Ryan on 3-18-2010 at 5:38 pm

  2. The opposum’s short gestation time likely has less to do with its short lifespan than with the fact that it is a marsupial, and thus has young that are relatively undeveloped compared to placental mammals.

    posted by Alex on 3-18-2010 at 5:40 pm

  3. Stacy, I’m at 32 weeks and I’m right there with you–I’m done with this! :-) Your articles (the quick 10) are always my favorite! Keep up the good work!

    posted by Ophelia23 on 3-18-2010 at 5:52 pm

  4. Pardon my nit-picking…but opossums are marsupials, not mammals.

    I’ve heard that hyena births are the most painful of any in the animal kingdom (well, presumably) – the mother gives birth *through her clitoris*

    posted by Laura on 3-18-2010 at 6:16 pm

  5. Baby walrus not cute!? I respectfully DISAGREE. But yes, everyone should check out Zooborns, there is something posted nearly every day!

    posted by Carolyn on 3-18-2010 at 6:19 pm

  6. If I were pregnant for 2 years, I think I would just go ahead and admit myself to one of those fun little insane asylums where they care for you ‘mental needs’. Most pregnant women I’ve known start going a little funny in the head after 7 months. I can only imagine what 2 YEARS would do.

    posted by Kate on 3-18-2010 at 6:22 pm

  7. Thanks for the fact Laura. I think i just threw up in my mouth a little

    =)

    posted by BorgQueen on 3-18-2010 at 6:44 pm

  8. Hahahaha…that baby hippo looks a lot like a puppy.

    posted by dooflotchie on 3-18-2010 at 7:33 pm

  9. Well, thanks Elephant video….

    I am now even more terrified of the birthing process… And I’m a guy.

    posted by Tyler on 3-18-2010 at 7:52 pm

  10. @Laura…
    Marsupials are mammals too! Just not placental mammals, like Alex said.

    posted by Reese on 3-18-2010 at 10:15 pm

  11. yay zooborns! that site is teh best.

    posted by Lillian W on 3-18-2010 at 10:29 pm

  12. Laura, opossums most certainly are mammals, like all marsupials. So, actually, are the egg-laying platypus and echidna. (The etymology of mammal has more to do with milk than placentas. Think about it — “mammaries” is the technical term for breasts, teats, udders, etc.)

    posted by Calli Arcale on 3-19-2010 at 12:07 am

  13. Possums don’t make it 2 years here in Oklahoma. They become roadkill.

    posted by Tony on 3-19-2010 at 3:14 am

  14. I’m also 30 weeks pregnant, and I feel like I’ve hit the wall (in marathon terms). I cannot believe I have ten more weeks of this. Thanks for the uplifting post – it made my morning.

    posted by petra on 3-19-2010 at 8:36 am

  15. I nearly cried when the elephant was trying to get her baby to breathe – her desperation was just so palpable.

    If she could scream during the birthing process, though, she totally would have been!

    posted by Jina on 3-19-2010 at 11:59 am

  16. That was awesome! I had tears, I must admit, when Momma elephant was trying to get the baby to breathe. I kept saying come on baby over and over. That was amazing to see.

    I am so glad I am done with that having a baby stuff. If not, that would have totally finished me for it….LOL…

    posted by Eden on 3-19-2010 at 12:10 pm

  17. I’m not usually squeamish and used to what this show on Animal Planet about the birthing process for various animals all the time. It was on around midday and I usually grabbed some lunch and watched if with a friend of mine before heading to class. Nothing gets you through a long seminar like having just seen little baby animals. That was until the day they documented an elephant giving birth. Now I LOVE elephants. I think they are amazing creatures, but that first big gush was enough to put my off my pizza that day. That being said, baby elephants are really adorable for something so huge!

    posted by Jen on 3-19-2010 at 2:01 pm

  18. Is the picture of the baby beluga taken in the deep blue sea?

    posted by MJ on 3-19-2010 at 2:51 pm

  19. I’m with the rest of your preggy mamas. I’m 35 weeks and can’t wait to be done. I don’t understand how some women (my mom included) can say they LOVE being pregnant. It’s not the worst thing in the world, but it’s not something I’d want to do more than a few times (and definitely not 19 times!)

    posted by Mrs. Coffee on 3-19-2010 at 6:51 pm

  20. Congrats, Mrs. Conradt!

    posted by Sara in Al on 3-21-2010 at 1:11 pm

  21. Oh, and I always look forward to your Q10 lists.

    posted by Sara in Al on 3-21-2010 at 1:13 pm

  22. Marsupials are mammals, but for maruspials I think you would have to add on at least some of the time spent in the pouch.

    posted by Annie Animal on 3-23-2010 at 9:06 am

  23. The elephant video was AWESOME! And good luck to the apparently insane amount of pregnant women on here – must be going around, I’ve got two friends who’ve had babies within the last month and another couple who are expecting them.

    posted by Kate on 9-16-2010 at 10:52 pm

Comment

commenting policy