What is the gestation period for an elephant?

The gestation period for an elephant is 640 to 660 days. This is equivalent to about 95 weeks, or 22 months, and is the longest gestation period of any mammal.

While a female elephant is in labor, the other elephants in the herd protect her by forming a circle around her. Most elephants only bear one baby at a time, but twins occur in approximately two percent of elephant births. Female elephants live to the age of 60 or 70 but usually only bear four offspring during their lifetimes. These offspring nurse from their mothers for two to four years.