10 Amazing Animal Pregnancies That Demonstrate Mother Nature Wiseness

When it comes to bringing their children into this world, some animal parents will go to any length. Animals give birth in a variety of ways. The progeny can weigh tons or even come from the male, depending on the species. There are species where the mother's gestation span exceeds three years! Yes, you read that correctly: she's been pregnant for three years.

Dardarkom would like to offer you 10 extremely uncommon births from the animal kingdom. These instances demonstrate that Earth's moms and fathers deserve special respect because their efforts go a long way toward securing their progeny.

#1. Frilled Sharks.

Source: Wikipedia

Consider being pregnant for three and a half years! That is exactly what the frilled shark does... Unlike other species, this one gives birth to live children rather than laying eggs. Frilled sharks (also known as Chlamydoselachus anguineus) have between 2 and 15 offspring. They hatch from egg capsules within the mother's womb and can stay there for up to 42 months.

#2. Multipunks (Synodontis Multipunctatus).

Source: depositphotos

The cuckoo catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus, but we definitely prefer calling him the multipunk) has the incredible capacity to bury its own eggs among those of the cichlid mentioned in the previous point. All of this happens in the few seconds between when the female cichlid lays her eggs and when she bends over to "eat" them. Because the multipunk's eggs expand and hatch faster than others (2 to 3 days), the newborns frequently consume the cichlid's eggs, which hatch after about 7 days.

#3. Cichlids.

Source: East News

Cichlids are one of the world's largest vertebrate fish families. Many of them hold their eggs in their mouths to increase their chances of survival. That is why they are known as mouthbrooders. When it's time for them to mate, the female lays the eggs and takes up the entire fry with her mouth. The males then fertilize them, and the incubation period lasts around 7 days. Because the mother-to-be's mouth is full of eggs during this time, she is unable to feed herself until the infants are born.

#4. Kangaroos.

Source: shutterstock

Female kangaroos have a pouch on their belly that is produced by a fold of skin. This pouch is intended to assist them in the production of their pups (known as joeys). Newborns are just one inch long, making them quite small and vulnerable. During the first few months, the joeys are fed mother's milk. They emerge from the pouch around the fourth month to take short journeys and consume grass. And by the age of ten months, these children are mature enough to leave the safety of the pouch behind.

#5. Seahorses.

Source: Getty Images

Seahorses are monogamous, and couples tend to stay together for the rest of their lives. This one-of-a-kind creature is one of the few in which the male is in charge of nurturing the eggs until they hatch. Females deposit them in an abdominal pouch held by the males during mating. Later, males fertilize and nurture the eggs, giving birth to a large number of small seahorses. So if you see a "pregnant" seahorse, it's a male.

Also: 30 Funny Animal Pictures Taken At The Perfect Time That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

#6. Suriname Toads.

Source: shutterstock

The Suriname Toad (Pipa pipa) is a leaf-like amphibian found in South American jungles. To reproduce, male toads deposit fertilized eggs on the back of the female. The female's skin eventually grows around them to hide them. The hatchlings develop over a four-month period, and when they finally hatch from the female's back, they are fully developed toads.

#7. Humpback Whales.

Source: East News

An adult humpback whale can grow to be 48 to 62.5 feet long and weigh 40 tons on average. This species' gestation time is approximately 11 months, and the calves can grow to be 4 meters long and weigh up to 1.5 tons. The calves can swim immediately after birth. But now comes the oddest part. Only 6 weeks after birth, they are expected to join their moms on a 3,000-mile journey in search of nourishment.

#8. Giraffes.

Source: depositphotos

Female giraffes give birth while standing after 15 months, which is the normal gestation period for this species. As a result, babies are subjected to a 5-foot drop at the time of birth. They should be able to stand up in as little as half an hour and run alongside their mothers after about 10 hours.

#9. Platypuses.

Source: Wikipedia

The platypus is one of the few mammals capable of laying eggs. After around 28 days of gestation, the mother digs a tunnel and places them there. She then incubates them for 10 days until the shell breaks. After then, the baby platypuses will feed on their mother's milk for roughly 3 or 4 months before leaving the burrow in search of food.

#10. Kiwis.

Source: Wikipedia

The kiwi is one of the most unusual birds ever discovered on Earth. The male and female are said to be monogamous since they tend to stay bonded together for life. Another uniqueness is the relationship between the weight of the egg and the female's physique. A kiwi egg weighs about 15% of a female's body weight on average, although it can weigh up to 20%. Surprisingly, the male is in responsible of incubating the egg, not the female. Unfortunately, this downtrodden companion is on the verge of extinction.

Do you know of other animals that have unique pregnancies or births? Please share them with us in the comment section below. To see more articles about this adorable animal, visit Dardarkom and check it out with us!