The gestation period is the time between conception and parturition, which is the birth of the young animal. In other words, it is the length of time that a developing fetus spends inside the womb before it is born. This period can vary widely among different species of animals, with some taking only a few weeks and others taking many months or even years. It is an important factor in understanding reproductive biology and can help predict when offspring will be born, which can be important for managing breeding programs and caring for pregnant animals.