Hobbies And Interests
Whitetail Deer
Mating season for whitetail deer begins in mid-October. Bucks follow does for five or six days before coupling. The doe and buck stay together for several days, mating periodically, while the buck keeps the doe secluded from other male deer. The two separate after this, and the buck continues mating with other does before breeding season ends.
After a doe gives birth, she gets no help from the buck in caring for offspring. The fawn and mother remain together until the spring following birth, although doe fawns live near their mothers throughout their lives. Buck fawns, on the other hand, leave to live independently elsewhere.
Black and Grizzly Bears
Shortly after emerging from winter hibernation, black and grizzly bears mate in early summer. This ritual is characterized by females leaving scent trails that male bears quickly detect. A couple spends several days getting acquainted, sometimes nuzzling each other. Mating is then initiated and lasts only a few minutes the first time.
Female bears are likely to mate with one or several male bears over a one-week period. Once the breeding season is finished, females and males part ways for good. If pregnant, a female gives birth during hibernation, in January or February, to between one and four cubs.
Jaguars
Jaguars are found in Central and South America. Females reach sexual maturity after two years, while males are not mature until 3 or 4. They mate throughout the year rather than at one specific time. After mating, males and females part, and the female manages all aspects of caring for cubs.
Females usually give birth to two cubs inside a den. Cubs are born blind and helpless, and they remain with their mothers until 1 or 2 years old. At that point, cubs separate from their families and scout their own territories.
Cougars
Cougars are described as polygamous, in which one male mates with many different females. Breeding occurs throughout the year, with females receptive to mating at several different times. They normally give birth, however, only every other year.
A female vocalizes her readiness to mate with a loud, unnerving scream. This scream is likened to that of a human when in danger. Males and females separate after coupling, and kittens are usually born between January and June. Mothers accept full responsibility for their offspring, without help from male cougars.
Giraffes
Giraffes engage in overlap promiscuity, in which males and females mate randomly within their home regions. This system allows males to mate with any number of females without having to provide resources or protect their young. Overlap promiscuity also conserves precious energy.
Mating occurs throughout the year, with female estrus taking place for one day every two weeks. Males search continuously for estrous females, and once a receptive female is found, she gets followed in courtship. During courtship, both males and females are selective. Males generally like younger females, and females like older, dominant males. Actual coupling is brief, and the two part ways immediately after.
Gray Whales
The mating process of gray whales can and does occasionally involve a large numbers of whales. In some instances, male whales join the coupling pair to offer assistance, while others attempt to mate in succession with the female. The breeding season occurs only in the summer, and female estrous cycles are extremely coordinated. Male competition for females is thus great.
Gray whales do not bond during sex. Instead, they have a promiscuous mating system. A female gray whale is usually eligible for mating only every other year, because the gestation period before birth is 13 months. After coupling, females live independently of males and manage the care of calves themselves.