What are viviparous animals?

Viviparous animals are the most developed and evolved among all other animals.

• These animals give birth to young ones and do not lay eggs.

• The offspring develop inside the mother’s body that leads to living birth.

• The embryo derives their nourishment from the mother’s blood and not from egg or yolk. Placenta provides the required nutrition.

• After birth, offspring are fed by mammary glands.

• Example of viviparous animals – whale, kangaroo, giraffe, elephants, mammals (except platypus and echidna).

Additional information:

There are 3 categories of animals, based on their mode of reproduction:

• Oviparous – animals that lay eggs. Their embryo develops outside the mother’s body and derives nourishment from yolk.

Example – birds, reptiles.

• Viviparous – animals that give birth to live offspring and the development of embryo takes place inside the mother’s body.

Example – humans, lions.

• Ovoviviparous – animals that produce eggs, but the eggs hatch inside the mother’s body, and the young ones are born alive. The embryo develops inside the egg and derives nourishment from the yolk. There is no placental connection. After birth, the offspring are fed by mammary glands.

Example – echidna, platypus.