Assorted Animal Gestation Questions Quiz

Answer: 150

The gestation period for domestic goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) ranges from 145 to 155 days, with an average of 150 days. The actual time from conception to birth varies because of a number of factors, including breed, whether the goat has produced a litter in the past, litter weight, and environment. T

he first time a goat gives birth, or a first-kidding, typically one or two kids are born. In successive pregnancies, it is normal for goats to have twins, but triplets, quadruplets, or even quintuplets can be born. The more kids born in a pregnancy, the more likely it is that there will be adverse health effects for the kids.

Answer: 31

Domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus) have one of the shortest gestational periods of the animals on this list. Only about 31 days after being bred, the female rabbit will give birth to up to twelve kits. She can become pregnant again within a few days, but it is not good practice to re-breed a female rabbit so quickly because her body needs time to recover from the pregnancy.

At sexual maturity, many owners of pet rabbits choose to have them spayed or neutered because of their potential to be prolific breeders.

Answer: 68

Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) are located throughout southern Canada, most states in the US, and in northern Mexico. Female skunks become pregnant during the mating period from mid-February through mid-April. They are then pregnant from 59-77 days (average 68). The actual time from impregnating to giving birth varies because of a number of factors including weather and age of the female. Older females tend to have larger litters, so they may give birth closer to the 68-day average.

If weather is not conducive to having young, a female may be able to stall the pregnancy until the weather changes, thus lengthening the time from mating to birth. Litters of 2-12 kits are common, with most skunks giving birth to 5-6 in each season. Skunks only give birth once a year.

Answer: 210

The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is found through most of Canada and Alaska, and in the west of North America down to northern Mexico. It is not found in the southeastern parts of the US. The North American porcupine has a relatively long gestation time for a rodent. After mating in the fall, females remain pregnant until the spring, about 210 days later. In comparison, the North American beaver has a gestation time that is only about half that of the porcupine.

Typically, the female gives birth to one young, called a porcupette. The female takes the sole responsibility for looking after the young because once mating occurs, males move on to a more solitary life.

Answer: 660

There are two species of African elephant - the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) and the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana). Both species have a gestation period of about 660 days, or 22 months. This is the longest gestation period of any mammal on earth. Fertile female African elephants usually give birth to one calf at a time.

Given that the calves are fairly dependent on their mothers for about two to three years, plus the long gestation period for these animals, fertile African elephant cows only give birth every 3-6 years.

Answer: 280

The average gestation time for humans is about 280 days, or forty weeks. This time is calculated by totalling the time from the first day of a woman's last menstrual period. Human babies are considered full term if they are born between 39 weeks and 40 weeks and six days from the start of the last menstrual period.

Many factors affect the exact gestation period in humans, including multiple births, or poor health of the mother or baby that may cause a shorter gestation. Some factors that may cause a longer-than-normal gestation in humans include obesity in the mother, first pregnancy, or miscalculated date due to irregular menstrual periods.

Answer: 12

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), commonly known as the opossum, has the shortest gestational period on this list. Females give birth about 12 days after mating. The newborn opossums are called joeys and, since the opossum is a marsupial, the newborn joeys crawl into their mothers' pouches for about 50 days to complete their development.

Female opossums can give birth up to three times per year, with an average of fifteen joeys per litter.

Answer: 117

The long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) is a rodent that is native to the Andes mountains in South America. They were traditionally hunted for their pelts, but have become popular pets in recent years. The gestation period for these animals varies from 110 to 124 days, with an average of 117 days.

This is long for a pet rodent, with pet rats having a gestation period of about 22 days, a hamster about 19 days, and a gerbil about 25 days. Chinchillas can have two litters a year with an average of two young in each litter.

Answer: 325

The Shetland pony (Equus caballus) has a gestation period of about 335 days, just a little less than the average gestation period of a horse (340 days). Shetland ponies can reach sexual maturity at 16-18 months, but most breeders will wait until their ponies are about three years old before allowing them to become pregnant.

This ensures that the pony is more physically fit to carry their offspring for the duration of the pregnancy. Shetland ponies usually give birth to one foal at a time. Twins are possible, but very rare.

Answer: 467

The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) is the largest species of rhinoceros on the earth. It makes sense, then, that its gestation period is quite long. After a pregnancy that lasts an average of about 467 days, the white rhinoceros gives birth to a single calf.

The calf stays with its mother until she is ready to give birth to her next calf. A female white rhinoceros gives birth about once every two to three years. Before giving birth, she chases away her existing calf and starts the process over again.