Reproductive features in female elephants

REPRODUCTIVE FEATURES IN FEMALE ELEPHANT
  • Oestrus cycle is 16 weeks long
  • Gestation period is 17-26 months. Normal new born elephant-calf should be up walking in 15-60 minutes.
  • Pregnancy may be diagnosed by radioimmuno assay technique based hormonal estimations. Progesterone-level gets elevated in pregnant elephants and remains elevated at 16 weeks. Progesterone level reduces rapidly within 5-10 days before the parturition. But in case of non-pregnant elephants, the level of progesterone rises but falls and is low again at 16 weeks.
Last modified: Tuesday, 28 September 2010, 6:10 AM