6. An elephant’s pregnancy lasts 95 weeks. You’ve got to be kidding me.
Elephants, the great matriarchs of the savanna, hold the record for the longest mammalian pregnancy—nearly two years. This extended gestation facilitates the complex development of their large brains and social skills.
Calves, weighing about 120 kilograms at birth, are raised within tight-knit family groups where aunts and older siblings assist in childcare. This shared parenting, known as allomothering, ensures calves receive constant protection and nurturing, allowing mothers time to rest and feed. Pregnant elephants communicate using low-frequency rumbles, or infrasound, which may help coordinate births or share information with other expectant mothers. These sounds travel for miles, connecting herd members across vast distances. Female elephants typically give birth only once every four to five years, investing immense energy in each calf. This strategy maximizes each baby’s care and survival chances in the challenging savanna environment.
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Telemetry readiness implied.
Curious: seasonal variations?
Challenge: apply within 24h.
Definitely workshop fodder.
Preserves strategic adaptability.