Animal reproduction is the biological process by which new individual organisms are produced. This process can occur through two main methods: sexual and asexual reproduction. In sexual reproduction, two parents contribute genetic material, resulting in offspring that have a mix of traits from both. This method often involves the formation of specialized cells called gametes, such as sperm and eggs, which combine during fertilization. Asexual reproduction, on the other hand, involves a single organism producing offspring without the involvement of gametes. Common methods of asexual reproduction include budding, fission, and fragmentation. This type of reproduction allows for rapid population growth, as one organism can produce many offspring quickly, but the genetic diversity is limited compared to sexual reproduction.