Elephant First steps of a baby elephant

Born after a 22-month gestation period, the longest of any land animal, these calves weigh between 200 to 250 pounds at birth. Impressively, they can stand up and take their first wobbly steps within just 20 minutes to an hour after being born. These initial steps are vital, as the calves need to be mobile quickly to stay close to their mothers and the protection of the herd.