African forest elephants give birth about how often?

African forest elephants give birth about once every 5–6 years.

This long interval reflects the species’ slow life history. Female African forest elephants begin breeding relatively late—on average around 23 years old—and invest heavily in each calf. Elephant pregnancy lasts about 22 months, among the longest gestations known in mammals.

After birth, a calf can stand and move almost immediately, but it remains dependent for years. The mother provides milk, protection and lessons about finding food, using the trunk and navigating the forest. Other females in the family group may also help care for young, a behavior known as allomothering or communal care.

The interval is slower than that of African savanna elephants, which commonly produce calves roughly every 3–4 years under favorable conditions. Slow reproduction makes forest elephants especially vulnerable to poaching: populations cannot replace lost adults quickly, even after hunting pressure declines.