The few zoos of the world which contain elephants can brag that their huge pets became parents. In bondage the elephants breed badly – stay in loneliness deprives of the animal social skills necessary for normal establishment of the relations with an opposite sex, besides, the fertility of elephants is affected by the climatic conditions of zoos often not so suitable for these thermophilic animals. At liberty elephants breed more intensively – in favorable conditions the elephant cow can bring posterity each 3-4 years.
Instruction
1. Elephant cows reach puberty by 10-12 years, in adverse conditions for life puberty comes later – in 18-20 years. The ability to fully bear posterity of a female is found in 15-16 years. Males become mature in 10-15 years, but the competition to adult elephants seldom allows them to begin to breed before 25-30 years – in marriage duels stronger and skilled males, as a rule, win.
2. Approximately from 20 years annually at young elephants within several weeks, and sometimes and months the state known in India as "муст" is observed. During this period the males show special aggression, become more excitable, than usually. In blood male during the must testosterone level sharply increases, from glands located between an ear and an eye the special secret is allocated. At females must it is shown seldom, the aggression is less expressed.
3. In the period of the must the elephants look for the females ready to pairing, approach herds though in the rest of the time lead a single life or form the small groups consisting only of young males. Elephants arrange marriage fights, look after females. The created couples separate from herd for several days, after pairing the elephant cow comes back to the general herd, the male goes to group of young elephants or there is one.
4. The oestrous cycle at elephant cows lasts about 4 months, at the same time the female is ready to reproduction only during an estrus – within two days. During a drought the sexual activity of animals falls – elephant cows have no ovulation, males do not show marriage behavior.
5. Pregnancy at elephant cows lasts 22 months. Before childbirth the female leaves herd, however is far from it does not leave. At appearance of a cub on light the woman in labor does not remain one – she is accompanied by one or several elephant cows to protect from predators, to help an elephant calf to get up, and sometimes even to deliver peculiar, carefully extending a cub by means of a trunk. As a rule, at an elephant cow one cub is born, it is extremely rare – two. The weight of the newborn is from 60 to 115 kilograms at the Indian elephants and from 90 to 130 kilograms at the African.
6. Despite the impressive sizes, elephant calves remain dependent on mother very long. Two years and more female feeds a cub with milk though the elephant calf is capable to eat firm food in 6 months after the birth. In herd kids within several years are looked after by not mature young elephant cows – for them it is some kind of preparation for motherhood. "Nurses" return cubs in herd if they can beat off group, preserve against wild animals. Further such guardianship not only increases survival of young growth, but also provides care of future mothers of own posterity.