20 of the Sweetest Expectant Animal Moms and How Their Pregnancies Compare With Each Other
Humans and other mammals give birth in the same way. But pregnancies can go in totally different directions. While humans are pregnant for around 280 days, opossums — just 12, and elephants — around 665 days!
We, at Now I’ve Seen Everything, decided to compare the pregnancies of different animals.
1. Opossum, 12 days
The Virginia opossum has the shortest pregnancy among all animals. Just imagine having only 2 weeks to come up with a name for your baby!
2. Rat, 22 days
A rat’s pregnancy is around 21-23 days. They usually have from 8 to 15 babies.
3. Kangaroo, 28 days
Kangaroos are pregnant for just 28 days. This is a short time for such a big animal. They also have no placental connection.
4. Guinea pig, 60 days
Guinea pigs are pregnant for 59-72 days, and they have from 1 to 8 fluffy babies.
5. Cat, 63 days
A female cat can get pregnant when they are as young as 4 months old.
6. Dog, 65 days
Pregnancy time varies depending on the size, breed, and age. The bigger a dog is, the more puppies she’ll have.
7. Raccoon, 65 days
The mating period for raccoons is in the winter, so they have babies in the spring.
8. Leopard, 90 days
Their pregnancy lasts for only 3 months. Females start breeding at the age of 2-3. They typically have from 2 to 3 babies.
9. Lion, 108 days
In captivity, lions often breed yearly, but in the wild, they usually breed no more than once every 2 years. They have from 1 to 6 cubs.
10. Pig, 115 days
A well-fed and tended pig can have babies twice a year, 10 babies each time. Just imagine having 20 or more kids in just 365 days!
11. Panda, 95–160 days
One of the reasons they are on the verge of extinction is that they can’t give birth as often as other animals. They have 1 baby every 2 years.
12. Ring-tailed lemur, 135 days
There are more than 100 types of lemurs and they usually mate in April. By the summer, they have 1-2 babies.
13. Rhesus macaque, 168 days
Rhesus macaques are usually pregnant for 168 days. It’s interesting that their menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, and their genital tract, anatomically, is almost exactly like a miniature replica of a human’s.
14. Bear, 220 days
Bears are rarely seen together unless it’s in the mating period. Cubs are born in January-February and remain with their mother until they are 2-3 years old.
15. Seal, 280 days
In seals, pregnancy lasts 9 months on average, but can sometimes last up to 11 months.
16. Horse, 335-340 days
By the time a horse is ready to give birth, the fetus weighs 10% of her own weight, which is up to 100 pounds!
17. Zebra, 409 days
Pregnancy in zebras lasts 409 days on average. Adult Grevy’s zebras weigh around 400 kg, and newborns are around 40 kg.
18. Beluga, 450 days
Belugas have 1 baby ever 2-3 years. Unlike humans and other animals, the umbilical cord snaps during or soon after delivery, so the baby can swim near the mother freely.
19. Elephant, 665 days
Elephants are pregnant for around 95 weeks. This is over 2 times more than a human. So, an elephant can only have around 4 babies during its entire life.
20. Black Alpine Salamander, 2–3 years
Black Alpine Salamanders give birth to fully developed babies. Their pregnancy lasts from 2 to 3 years, depending on the altitude where they live and they usually have 2 babies.
Now you know how long pregnancies last in different animals, and you can surprise friends with your knowledge. Some of these facts must have impressed you. Which ones? If you could decide how long to be pregnant, how long would you choose?
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