Many animal mothers go to extraordinary lengths to care for their young. Here’s our tribute to some of the champion mothers of the animal kingdom.
Did you know?
- Elephants have a 22 month gestation and give birth to the world’s largest babies. They usually have just one calf which relies on its mother’s milk for between four and six years.
- Cheetah mums raise their babies in isolation. They train their young, usually a litter of two to five cubs, for 18 months. The cubs then form a sibling group for a perod of six months or so.
- Lionesses are incredibly tolerant, suckling not only their own cubs but any cub in the pride.
- Gorilla mums are very attentive to their young, nursing them for three to four years, carrying them on their backs and sharing their nest until they are six.
- Giraffe’s give birth standing up, remaining on the lookout for predators. This means the newborn has a 2 metre drop to negotiate. The fall breaks the umbilical cord. The calf can stand and run within an hour of being born and relies on its mother’s milk for around a year.
As a tribute to hard-working Mums everywhere we have put together a little photo montage in honour of Mother’s Day this Sunday the 30th March.
Enjoy!
