9 Amazing Animal Births Caught on Camera

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9 Amazing Animal Births Caught on Camera

After April the giraffe finally gave birth last week, thousands watched the live feed to see the 129 pound, 5 foot 9 inch baby animal enter the world for the first time.

If you watched the video, you know that it can be rather graphic to see a baby being born. These rare moments are often not caught on camera, but when they are they are spectacular to watch.

While giraffes are adorable, and thinking about an animal that size being birthed is crazy, check out these other amazing animal births that have been captured on video.

Panda

Giant Panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Panda pregnancies are very hard to predict, but after seeing her water break and her contractions began the crew knew it was only a matter of time.

 

Gorilla

The Prague Zoo had live cameras trained on mom-to-be Kijivu when she gave birth in the squatting position so that she was able to catch the baby herself.

Baby gorillas typically weigh 3-4 pounds at birth, half the weight of human babies.

It's amazing to see how this experienced mom, is able to take care of her young with ease.

Polar Bears

Mama bear Huggies gave birth to 2 cubs at the Dutch Zoo Ouwehands Dierenpark. The sound she makes is unforgettable.

 

Elephants

With the longest gestational period of any creature on earth, seeing an elephant birth is truly remarkable.

Elephants stay pregnant for 680 days to allow the babies' brain to develop enough that they can survive from birth.

Watch this baby get up right away after being born and talk a walk with its mom.

Tigers

These cats are arguably some of the most beautiful creatures in the animal kingdom, and while the birthing of their cubs can be rather graphic, it is amazing to watch how the mother takes care of her newborns. A typical tiger has 2 or 3 cubs weighing about 2 pounds each.

 

Hippo

Momma hippos can give birth in the water or on land, but if they give birth in the water the mother has to push it to surface to breathe.

Newborns can only hold their breath for 40 seconds, which increases to 30 minutes as adults.

Baby hippos can be between 60-110 pounds at birth.

Dolphin

Rare footage of a dolphin giving birth under water at the Dolphin Quest Hawaii, gives us an idea of why water births have become so popular. Watching this little one take off as soon as it's free of it's mother's body, is amazing!

 

Lion

They may be at the top of the jungle food chain, but they are still just as vulnerable in childbirth as the rest of the animal world.

A lion's gestational period lasts for only 15 weeks. Lions give birth to anywhere between 1 and 5 cubs each litter.

Watch this Endangered Asiatic Lion give birth to cubs at The Bristol Zoo on Christmas Eve.  

Seahorse

This is a rarity in the animal kingdom, because seahorses are one of the few species which both incubates and gives birth to the offspring. This is amazing to watch because each delivery can spawn up to 1800 babies.

And we thought birthing a human was intense...