• Question: Why do animals have different gestation periods?

    Asked by Evard to Dorcas, Jay Oty, Mel, Priscilla on 1 Oct 2014.
    • Photo: Dorcas Kamuya

      Dorcas Kamuya answered on 1 Oct 2014:

      Hi Evard,
      The gestation period depends on the amount of growth of the foetus,and how developed the foetus has to be before it is born.,For example, did you know that the gestation period for an African elephant is 645 days, I,e nearly two years, while that of a dog is about 61 days…and of course a baby elephant is much bigger than that of a dog.

      In other animals,the period of gestation depends on the breeding seasons. Their biological clock is regulated in such a way that they would give birth when there is plenty of food. This animals would have mating seasons.
      Dorcas

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