Animals With the Longest Pregnancy Period

Elephants Elephants have the longest gestation period of all mammals, carrying their young for 18 to 22 months before giving birth. Long developmental periods are common among highly intelligent animals. 

Manatees You might not know if a portly manatee is pregnant simply by looking at the animal, but this gentle giant carries its young for nearly 13 months.

Camels Camels are known for their stubborn and crabbish personalities, but consider this: camels have a gestation period of 13 to 15 months.

Giraffes Giraffes have gestation periods anywhere from 400 to 460 days (13-15 months).

Velvet Worm Not all animals with long gestation periods are large mammals. There are some worm-like animals that bear live young, including the velvet worm. This bizarre-looking creature carries its young for as long as 15 months.

Rhinoceros It might not come as a surprise that rhinos—because of their sheer size—are next on the list, with a gestation period of about 15 to 18 months, depending on the species.

Walruses Walruses have the longest gestation period of all pinnipeds (a group of mammals that includes seals and sea lions), carrying their young for as long as 15 to 16 months.

Whales and Dolphins Whales and dolphins although have different gestation periods, orcas have the longest period among dolphins at about 17 months.

Black Alpine Salamanders Black alpine salamanders are amphibians that live in the Central and Eastern Alps and give birth to live young. Their pregnancies can last from two to three years, depending on the altitude at which the salamanders live.

Tapirs A tapir calf is born after 13 months in the womb. Newborns have special brown- and beige-striped markings that help camouflage them from predators, but the pattern fades after a few months when the young tapir becomes more mobile.

Donkeys A female donkey, known as a jenny or a mare, typically gives birth to one foal about a year after mating, but some pregnancies can last nearly 14 months.