The gestation period of the female hippopotamus lasts for 8 months and a single calf is born during the rainy season. The platypus and 4 species of echidnas do not give birth to live young, despite being a mammal. Mating takes place in the water with the female under water during most of it. The cub rides on it mother’s backs for safety and its mother strongly protects it. whales Advertisement. The young are born after a gestation period of eight months and maturity is only achieved at about 3 and a half years. They mate in the water. However, the hippo calf is about 10 times larger than a … The female gestation period lasts eight months and produces just one offspring (this is rather fortunate, given they can weigh 110 pounds on birth). Hippo calves will live beside their mothers until the age of 7 or 8. Can You Identify These Highly Intelligent Animals? Males mature at about 7.5 years of age. However, a pod tends to have about 30 hippos. 10 months. Some clock in at just a few weeks, making any human green with envy, while others can last more than a year. A male hippo is called a Bull, while the Female is a caw and the younglings are calves. They have a gestation period of eight months. Raising a hippo. Calves are often left in creches guarded by one to several cows. The female hippo reaches sexual maturity between five and six years of age. pigs. Male hippos (bulls) will reach sexual maturity after 7 years, and females (cows) after 9 years. 14 months. How long is the hippo gestation period? One calf is born underwater. After a gestation period that lasts for around eight months, the female Hippopotamus gives birth to a single calf generally during the rainy season. At 18 months from birth, the calves are fully weaned and leave their mother when they are 7-8 years old. Males reach sexual maturity between the ages of 7 and 9, while females attain reproductive maturity between the ages of 8 and 10. Hippos tend to live in groups, which can be as large as 100. Explore More Quizzes. Right after its birth, the baby can walk, run or swim. Although like many other activities (including mating) the Hippopotamus often gives birth in the water, it is not actually that uncommon for their young to be born on land. Fun hippo facts Animals related to each other usually have similar gestation periods. Hippo Reproduction. TRIVIA. Advertisement. The gestation period takes 8 months. The gestation periods of the animal kingdom are varied and fascinating. Hippos are most closely related to: cows. Males reach sexual maturity by the time they reach 7 or 8 years of age. They have a gestation period of 240 days, and babies are usually born underwater. Fortunately, hippos make much more pleasant parents than dates, or at least the females do. Female hippos reach sexual maturity at five to six years of age and have a gestation period of eight months. Pregnant hippopotamus facts. 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