Parent and child giraffe in the wild.

50 images of parenthood in the animal kingdom

Written by:
September 16, 2020
Shchipkova Elena // Shutterstock

50 images of parenthood in the animal kingdom

The offspring of megapodes (chicken-like birds) are unlikely to ever meet their parents. After western fence lizards lay their eggs, they simply cover them up and move on with their life—frankly, experts aren't even sure if these reptiles are aware they've laid an egg. And the Labord's chameleon lays their eggs leading up to winter, but dies before those eggs even hatch. While there are some species in the animal kingdom who don't have much to do with their kids after reproduction, that's not the norm; some species stick around the nest for years. 

For the first couple years of life, orangutans rely on their mom for just about everything and while they are likely to leave home after about six or seven years, the females may visit their mother until about age 15. Female African elephants usually stick with their herd throughout the entirety of their lives while males tend to spend roughly a third of their life with their herd. And orca females stick with their pod from birth to death, with males leaving to mate but ultimately returning. 

Stacker put together a collection of photos capturing parenting moments in the animal kingdom. Scroll through to see a humpback whale swim alongside its calf in the Pacific Ocean, a deer keep a watchful eye while she feeds her baby in Nepal, and a sloth hang around with her cub in the Costa Rican jungle. 

African rhinos

Pictured: An African rhinoceros mother and baby graze the savanna.

Ostriches

Pictured: An ostrich family crosses the savanna.

Koalas

Pictured: A koala mom and her joey munch on some leaves.

Elephants

Pictured: A mother elephant helps her calf get a drink of water.

Zebras

Pictured: Mother and baby zebra on the plains of Tanzania.

Polar bears

Pictured: A curious polar bear famliy sits on the ice in the Arctic.

Kangaroos

Pictured: A kangaroo joey hitches a ride in mom's pouch.

Ibex

Pictured: A newborn ibex bonds with his parents.

Horses

Pictured: A wild foal naps in the Italian Dolomites with family.

Gorillas

Pictured: A baby gorilla clings to his mother.

Highland cows

Pictured: A Highland cow and her calf in the U.K.

Gray wolves

Pictured: A gray wolf defends his pup.

Moose

Pictured: A moose and newborn calf bond.

Brown bears

Pictured: Eurasian brown bear female and her playful cubs at the edge of a boreal forest in Finland.

Cheetahs

Pictured: A cheetah mom and cubs on the lookout in Namibia, Africa.

Mountain goats

Pictured: A young mountain goat leaping across rocks.

Humpback whales

Pictured: Humpback whale and calf in the Pacific Ocean.

Flamingos

Pictured: Flamingo mom feeding hungry chick.

Giraffes

Pictured: Giraffe family on a walk. 

Gentoo penguins

Pictured: Gentoo penguin mom and chicks in Antarctica.

Woodpeckers

Pictured: Middle spotted woodpecker feeding its baby in a tree.

Alaskan seals

Pictured: Alaskan seals play on the ice.

Snow monkeys

Pictured: Snow monkey mother and baby.

Lions

Pictured: A pride of lions interact with young cubs in Serengeti, Tanzania.

Hippos

Pictured: Hippopotamus family swimming in Uganda.

Warthogs

Pictured: Warthog family grazing on the savanna.

Reindeers

Pictured: Reindeer family grazing.

Ducks

Pictured: A mother duck defends her chicks on a Washington pond.

Eagles

Pictured: Adult bald eagle with two chicks in a nest on the side of a cliff on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Camels

Pictured: Camel families in the desert.

Sheep

Pictured: Sheep family sleeping.

Cotton-top tamarins

Pictured: Cotton-top tamarin mother and infant in Colombia.

Alpacas

Pictured: Alpacas meeting a newborn.

Porcupines

Pictured: Porcupine mom and babies in the grass.

Llamas

Pictured: A cria runs after her mother in Bolivia.

 

Buffalo

Pictured: Buffalo family grazing.

Arctic foxes

Pictured: Arctic foxes playing in autumn.

Ring-tailed lemurs

Pictured: Ring-tailed lemur family in Madagascar.

Tigers

Pictured: Tigress moving young cubs in forest.

Dolphins

Pictured: Dolphin and calf swimming in New Zealand.

Beluga whales

Pictured: Beluga whale family.

Hyenas

Pictured: Hyena feeds her newborn babies in the African savanna.

Pigs

Pictured: Mother watches over her piglets.

Capybara

Pictured: Capybara family and a bird staring at a lizard crossing their path.

Owls

Pictured: Nesting great horned owls peer out of their tree home in Pennsylvania.

 

West Indian manatees

Pictured: West Indian manatee and baby in the Crystal River, Florida.

Red faced macaques

Pictured: A red faced macaque (Macaca fuscata) family with two babies. 

Sea otters

Pictured: Sea otter and pup.

Sloths

Pictured: A female sloth with her cub hangs on a branch in the Costa Rican jungle.

Deer

Pictured: Mother deer keeps watch while feeding her baby in Nepal.

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