If you're a wildlife lover or generally enthusiastic about science the following article will fascinate you. Over the years zoologists, scientists, evolution theorists have written thousands of books about the reproduction processes of animals. You might know that different mammals copulate and reproduce in a different way and people have always been curious about how vastly different their systems are.
You'd be intrigued to know that medical physicist and photography enthusiast Arie van't Riet’s works feature close-up x-ray shots of pregnant animals so that you can witness the magic up close. In fact his X-ray photographs have often gone viral and he even has his own website. He specializes in radiation physics and is fascinated by black and white photography, which would make sense as to why he is so interested in x-rays. He has even insisted that he prefers observing x-rays of regular commonplace animals like butterflies and fish, and not just exotic animals. Here's having a good look at some of his artwork.
Did you know that male guinea pigs mature slower than their female counterparts and can mate from 3 months of age? Female guinea pigs, on the other hand, mature sexually from 2 months of age. A guinea pig can give birth to 4 to 5 litters of babies per year. Its pregnancy lasts till about 65 days. And as the cycle goes the female offspring reaches maturity within three weeks of its birth.
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Boas usually breed in the dry seasons. They are mostly polygynous, which means the male boas mate with more than one female boas. Female boas perhaps enjoy a the most fascinating animal pregnancies as they give birth to 60 babies at a time.
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Most females Chinchillas mate by the time they are 7 months. Experts suggest that Chinchillas should be put into breeding before they turn 2 years old for optimum ability to breed. A chinchilla’s gestation period lasts for 111 days. Owing to the lengthy pregnancy, chinchillas are born with a full coat of fur and with fully-opened eyes.
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The raccoon is perhaps the most researched animal ever. For hundreds of years an extensive amount of research has been done on them. Raccoons are born blind and deaf and remain so for the first three weeks of their life . They usually leave home after their first winter.
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Science shows that monkeys have the most exciting reproductive and post-pregnancy life. The parent monkeys are known to play and frolic with their young ones and they are also fast learners. Interestingly, monkey babies adapt more from their mothers than they can learn from their male parent.
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Deer fawns are one of the most exotic species, and most baby deers are exquisite to look at, mostly owing to the patterns on their bodies. The average deer fawn has around 300- 350 spots. Their spots are not just for decoration. They actually help the young deer to hide away from its predators by mixing into the background. It’s called camouflaging. Mother deers often lick their fawns so as to share their smell, which makes it easier for them to keep track of their young ones.
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Hawks are majestic creatures and ferocious birds. During the mating process, the Hawks grab each other, as they are in the air and then fall downwards. This is quite simply one of the most interesting reproductive processes in the animal world. Most hawks are monogamous and look to mate for life, but not all of them.
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During mating season, kiwis mate multiple times every night. Most kiwi pairs mate for about 3 weeks, after which they lay eggs. The female kiwi lays only one egg per season. Interestingly, Kiwi eggs have one of the largest size ratios on the bird kingdom.
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A bearded dragon usually lives up to a decade, of course, if not captured or killed. They are one of the most exotic species. Their x-rays also make for exquisite specimens.
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A dog’s reproductive life has been extensively studied and chronicled over the years. Did you know that when a pregnant dog’s temperature drops unusually, then it’s a sign that they’re about to give birth. And much like human mothers, dogs also morning sickness, but not all dogs.
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We bet you are mostly ignorant about your favourite domestic animal. But all kittens are born with blue eyeballs. They change colour a few months after their births and you can only tell their final colour at least three months after their births.
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Sharks are the most difficult to study for obvious reasons and researchers have attempted for years. This is not to say they are beyond experiments, but they are just more inaccessible than other mammals. The above picture is thus, is not an x-ray but an ultrasound with drawn out lines which will help you understand their system.
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A male elephant’s reproductive tract is about 2 meters long, and in scientific terms, they are called bulls. They start producing sperm from 10 years of age and continue till they turn 15. In the wild, mostly older bulls are more prone to reproduce.
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You might have seen many turtle eggs laid out in the beach, sometimes hidden by sand. Did you know that mother turtles rush to the beach to lay their eggs, usually to the same beach where they were born.
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Much like hawks bats also mate quite athletically. They fly in swarms and mate in an unique mid-flight ritual, which has been closely observed by science. Newborn bats are known as pups, and in fact their young ones are usually brought up i groups so bat mothers can help out each other.
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