I was wondering... do female animals in the wild menstruate or do they not have a different cycle than us?

Question

I was wondering... do female animals in the wild menstruate or do they not have a different cycle than us?

Answer 1

No. Menstruation is the shedding of the lining of the womb, which develops during the month so that if a woman becomes pregnant, the fertilized egg can implant and begin to grow. If the egg is not fertilized, it and the womb lining are shed. In animals, the womb lining is simply absorbed back into the body if pregnancy does not occur.

Some people may be confused by the bloody discharge seen in animals such as cats and dogs when they are in heat - this is not menstruation. As I said, menstruation occurs after a woman does not become pregnant. This discharge in animals occurs when they are in heat - that is, when they are ready to conceive.

Answer 2

Human females are the only animal that has a monthly menstruate cycle.  The majority of animals are seasonal.  Some female animals go in to heat after the previous young has left, like some primates.  Some female animals only breed every other year.  The polar bear is a good example.

This characteristic is one of the main reasons humans have been so successful as a species.