Alex Carson
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another interesting video. We dive into the most incredible animal births caught on camera. Animals are mystic creatures with beautiful features, very few are lucky enough to witness a birth live. This primal occurrence is essential and a beautiful reminder of the power in every creature. We will uncover stunning births and amazing facts about each animal and how they care for their young. This is Facts Verse Presents: 11 Stunning Animal Births & Amazing Facts. Don’t forget to like this video and subscribe to our channel for more. Click that notification icon to ensure you are the first to know when we upload a new video.
Animals giving birth to a new generation is an inspiring phenomenon that will captivate even the toughest critic. To say these live recordings are rare is an understatement. Capturing a moment like this is once in a lifetime. Let’s kick it off with number one…
NUMBER ONE: Panda
A panda named Mei Xiang gave birth at Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. It can be difficult to tell when a female Panda is expecting. The typical gestational period for Pandas lasts anywhere from 90 to 180 days, with the normal length being 135 days. Mei showed signs of pregnancy for weeks before finally delivering a cub on August 23rd. She gave birth to a stillborn twin cub a few days after. The first cub she delivered was in good health.
When panda cubs are first born, mothers keep 100% contact with them at all times for at least the first month of life. For example, if the cub is resting, the mother will always keep a paw, head, or arm on her baby. By the time the cub is 5 months, they begin to climb. They are nourished by bamboo and require two different types to sustain themselves. Pandas that live in their natural habitat are camouflaged. The white spots on their body help them to blend into snow, while the black spots help them to blend into their shade.
NUMBER TWO: Gorilla
A gorilla named Kijivu at The Prague Zoo gave birth in a big way. On December 22nd, Kijivu gave birth to a baby boy. This was her fourth child with mate Richard. Kijivu was fully prepared as her maternal instincts kicked in. She squatted in order to properly deliver her son and caught him once he came out. Gorilla babies weigh between 3 and 4 pounds. This is half the weight of a human baby at birth. Kijivu’s newborn was nursing 10 minutes after birth. The workers at the zoo noted the birth was quick and efficient, as mother Kijivu was experienced.
Many have heard gorillas share 99% of our DNA and it’s true! They are among the largest and strongest primates living today. When standing up, they are 5’5 (170cm). Their daily ritual includes eating, accounting for a quarter of their day. They eat shoots and leaves to sustain themselves. However, they will occasionally eat other plants and fruits. Gorillas always sleep together at night. For example, a family of gorillas, including the children, will sleep in nests or trees. In fact, infants always sleep in their mother’s nest as it is a safe and warm place to rest.
NUMBER THREE: Polar Bear
A polar bear named Huggies at the Dutch Zoo in the Netherlands gave birth by herself to two cubs! Her cubs, Siku and Sesi, were born in 2011. Polar bears typically have a gestational period of 195 to 265 days. This is around 8 months. In a natural setting, polar bears give birth once every three years. The size of their litter is usually two. Cubs are typically born with their eyes closed. In fact, the fur on baby cubs is so fine they look hairless after birth. It can take up to one month for cubs to open their eyes and two months for them to begin walking around.
Polar bears in their natural habitat spend the majority of their time on the sea. This is why they are considered marine mammals. They are able to swim for days if needed. They can easily swim long distances for long periods of time. In fact, their paws have adapted to swimming. Their fur is actually black, however appears white as it reflects light. Two of the biggest threats to polar bears are climate change and the oil industry.
NUMBER FOUR: Elephant
An elephant named Donna at The Prague Zoo gave birth to her baby in February. The delivery time was a total of five hours. This is considered quick for elephants. The baby was named Sita. In fact, the gestational period for elephants is longer than any other animal on earth- at 680 days. This can be anywhere from 18 to 22 months. The reason for the long pregnancy is to allow for proper brain development.
Newborn elephants weigh 120kg. Also, in terms of development, a male elephant reaches its full size between 35 and 40 years old. The African and Asian species of elephants are told apart by their unique ears. African elephants have very large ears while Asian elephants have smaller ones. The trunk of an elephant has approximately 150,000 muscles. This is where elephants get their incredible power from. They are skilled and can use their trunk for almost any task. Their tusks are not what most people think they’re for. Elephant’s tusks are actually teeth! That’s right, they are used for feeding during early years and protection. Their skin is extremely absorbent and thick. The mud baths they take actually protect their skin from sunburn.
NUMBER FIVE: Giraffes
Giraffes are the world’s tallest mammals. In fact, their legs are taller than most humans, measuring 6 feet. When needed, giraffes can run as quickly as 35mph. A giraffe named Marilyn gave birth on camera to her child, Kofi. The entire birth took place in under 5 minutes. She gave birth at The Memphis Zoo in August. Onlookers saw the entire birth from beginning to end. By the end of the clip, Kofi was already learning how to walk. How incredible!
Giraffes only need to drink water every few days. The majority of their water intake comes directly from the plants they eat. The spots on a giraffe are unique to their body, no two giraffes will have the same spots This is compared to a human’s fingerprint. Also, male and female giraffes have hair-covered horns. They may use them as protection or during a fight.
NUMBER SIX: Tiger
A tiger birth at Tiger Canyons in South Africa showcased the incredible ability of these mammals. A female named Shadow gave birth to a liter. The normal liter size for a tiger is 2 to 3 cubs. Each cub weighs 2 pounds at birth.
Cubs stay with their moms until they are 18 months old. Tigers typically live between 20 and 26 years in their natural habitat. They can swim easily in the water and are good at it, unlike other cats. They communicate in a variety of ways including scent marking, roaring, growling, meowing, hissing and visual cues.
NUMBER SEVEN: Black Bear
A black bear named Lily in Ely, Montana gave birth in a den. The birth took place in 2010. Her baby, Hope, can be seen emerging from her mother. In fact, when baby cubs are born, they are blind and fully dependent on their mother. The cubs stay in the den until the weather warms up in spring. Cubs spend 2 years with their mothers before exploring elsewhere.
Black bears live in North America. This includes Canada, all the way to northern Mexico. They live in the forest and their diet is based on nuts, fruits, vegetables, and other vegetation. They average 18 years in their natural habitat.
NUMBER EIGHT: Hippo
A hippo at the San Diego Zoo named Funani gave birth to her child, Adhama, in January of 2011. Interestingly, hippos can give birth on land or in water. The birth was witnessed by onlookers as everyone stood in awe of the natural beauty. If a birth happens in water, the mother hippo must push her baby to the surface so they can breathe. A newborn can hold their breath for approximately 40 seconds. Adult hippos are able to hold their breath for 30 minutes.
Hippos spend the majority of the day in rivers and lakes to cool off from the African heat. They are most active during the night, which is when they forage for food. They are purely herbivorous, making their meals based on grass. They’re versatile mammals. The males are protective of their group. The herd can be as large as 20 hippos, all under the guidance of one male.
NUMBER NINE: Dolphin
A Hawaiian dolphin named Keo gave birth to her baby in September. She delivered at Dolphin Quest Waikoloa Village.
Baby dolphins stay with their mothers for a long period of time. This can range from 3 years all the way up to 8 years. They are very fast sprinters, reaching up to 30mph when needed. They have acoustic abilities and communicate with one another through sounds. Dolphins are very intelligent and share the same qualities as humans. Dolphins actually have two stomachs. They use one of their stomachs to store food and the other to digest it.
NUMBER TEN: Lion
A lion gave birth at The Bristol Zoo in England in 2010. The lioness, Shiva, gave birth to a male cub named Jayendra and a female cub named Kalyana. Shiva had another set of twins a couple of years later. They were named Kamran and Ketan. The gestation time for a lion is 3.5 months. The litter sizes range from 1 to 6 cubs during birth.
Female lions are the main hunters, contrary to popular stigma of male leaders. A lion will mark their territory in a variety of ways. Their roar is very strong, as it can be heard from approximately eight kilometers away.
NUMBER ELEVEN: Seahorse
Seahorses are the exception to this list. They are the only male species to incubate eggs and give birth. When male seahorses deliver, the offspring can be as many as 1,800.
The number of seahorse species exceeds 70. Seahorses prefer to live in shallow waters and swim with their back fins, keeping them upright.
Thank you guys for tuning into another video. We hope you loved these stunning animal births and fun facts about their young, their lifestyle, their natural habitats, and how they communicate with the rest of the world. Make sure to give this video a ‘thumbs up’ if you enjoyed and subscribe to our channel for more. We want to hear from you! Let us know down in the comment box below which animal birth you would want to see in person and which animal fact you never knew. Thanks again and we’ll see you in the next one!
