<P> Gestation in elephants typically lasts around two years with interbirth intervals usually lasting four to five years . Births tend to take place during the wet season . Calves are born 85 cm ( 33 in ) tall and weigh around 120 kg ( 260 lb ) . Typically , only a single young is born , but twins sometimes occur . The relatively long pregnancy is maintained by five corpus luteums ( as opposed to one in most mammals ) and gives the foetus more time to develop , particularly the brain and trunk . As such , newborn elephants are precocial and quickly stand and walk to follow their mother and family herd . A new calf is usually the centre of attention for herd members . Adults and most of the other young will gather around the newborn , touching and caressing it with their trunks . For the first few days , the mother is intolerant of other herd members near her young . Alloparenting -- where a calf is cared for by someone other than its mother -- takes place in some family groups . Allomothers are typically two to twelve years old . When a predator is near , the family group gathers together with the calves in the centre . </P>
<P> Gestation in elephants typically lasts around two years with interbirth intervals usually lasting four to five years . Births tend to take place during the wet season . Calves are born 85 cm ( 33 in ) tall and weigh around 120 kg ( 260 lb ) . Typically , only a single young is born , but twins sometimes occur . The relatively long pregnancy is maintained by five corpus luteums ( as opposed to one in most mammals ) and gives the foetus more time to develop , particularly the brain and trunk . As such , newborn elephants are precocial and quickly stand and walk to follow their mother and family herd . A new calf is usually the centre of attention for herd members . Adults and most of the other young will gather around the newborn , touching and caressing it with their trunks . For the first few days , the mother is intolerant of other herd members near her young . Alloparenting -- where a calf is cared for by someone other than its mother -- takes place in some family groups . Allomothers are typically two to twelve years old . When a predator is near , the family group gathers together with the calves in the centre . </P>
what is the name of a young elephant
what is the name of a young elephant
calf
calf