Honouring Father’s Day with the Best Dads in Nature

There’s a reason we talk about Mother Nature and not Father Nature: there are a lot of dad duds in Nature. They pass on their genes to the next generation and that’s pretty much it.

But there are fathers who go above and beyond, aside from human fathers. In honour of Father’s Day, this month we’re recognizing some of the amazing fathers in the animal kingdom and the great lengths they go to give their offspring the best start in life.

Seahorse

Some human mothers might think the seahorse species got it right: the males are the ones that become pregnant. Female seahorses deposit their eggs in the male’s pouch, where he fertilizes them. Then, after 45 days of incubation, he gives birth (contractions and all) to fully formed tiny seahorses.

Emperor Penguin

If you’ve ever watched March of the Penguins or any other nature show about Antarctica, you already know that Emperor penguins are among the world’s most devoted fathers. And they have to be, in an environment as harsh as Antarctica’s. Producing a single egg takes a great deal out of the female penguin, so once she’s laid it, she heads back out to sea for as long as two months to replenish her reserves. During this long, cold waiting period, the temporarily single father keeps the egg warm and safe in the special brood patch between his toes and his belly. It can never touch the snow because in the harsh cold, the egg will freeze in seconds. Many females are back by the time the egg hatches, but if Mom hasn’t returned yet, the father feeds the new chick with a special milk produced from his esophagus. Father and mother then take turns caring for the chick for weeks.

Namaqua Sandgrouse

Emperor penguins aren’t the only amazing bird fathers. In fact, the avian world is full of standout fathers, among them the Namaqua sandgrouse. This bird, which lives in the Kalahari Desert, flies up to 30 km to the nearest watering hole each morning. Once there, he braves predators like cheetahs, goshawks, and eagles to wade in, where he stays for nearly 15 minutes as the special feathers on his belly soak up water. He then flies straight back to his mate and chicks and lets them drink directly from his feathers, saving them from dehydration in the scorching temperatures.

Greater Rhea

If the Emperor penguin and Namaqua sandgrouse are rockstars of endurance, the male Greater Rhea is a paragon of community. Each breeding season, females in the flock mate with multiple males, depositing eggs in each male’s nest. By the time this is over, males can have up to 80 eggs in each enormous nest—theirs to tend all alone. These eggs all hatch within 36 hours of each other, meaning the male is in charge of chaos far beyond the level in the classic children’s book Make Way for Ducklings.

Frogs

In many frog and toad species, the dad takes on a starring role. Sometimes the parent pair works together, as with strawberry poison dart frogs—the father watches over the eggs and keeps the moist by peeing on them daily. In other species, the father takes the primary caregiver role on—and when he does, he’s very serious about it. African bullfrogs are the largest frog species on earth, and after they mate in shallow pools, the fathers keep guard over the eggs and tadpoles until they grow legs and become froglets. In other frog species, fathers carry eggs on their back, under their skin, or in special pouches on their bodies. Some even carry a brood of tadpoles in their mouths until they are ready to head out on their own.

Foxes and Wolves

Amazing fathers are found in several species of foxes, wild dogs, and wolves, too. The red fox, African wild dog, and gray wolf all live in packs that are actually families. Fathers hunt for and play with their kits or pups, helping them develop the skills to eventually become independent—and pass this knowledge onto their own offspring.

Lions

What we know about lions doesn’t always put these fathers in a good light. Male lions sometimes hunt down cubs and kill them, especially if the lion has taken over a new pride. Lions also do less of the hunting than lionesses but eat first (and usually the choice part of the animal). But lion fathers are fiercely protective of their pride, which can include up to 30 members and many cubs and juveniles.

Gorillas

In the world of large primates, we can see some familiar family patterns. Male gorillas are the head of their group, which can be as large as 30 individuals. These fathers are the breadwinners, finding food daily for the group (and gorillas eat up to 50 pounds per day per gorilla, so it’s a huge responsibility). Gorilla fathers are fiercely protective but also tender and loving, playing with their offspring until they become teenagers. These fathers can even smooth over sibling fights.

Ideas for father-baby bonding

Clearly humans aren’t the only species with dedicated dads. We are, however, the only one that has a holiday all about them. This Father’s Day, encourage some special father-baby bonding to celebrate the powerful and enduring relationship that children and their dads can build.

It’s never too early to start—research has found that this bond starts to form as soon as the father holds his baby after birth. Other research has shown that regular father-baby playtime can actually advance cognitive development. There are plenty of ways that fathers can spend time with even the youngest babies, including:

• Reading a book to your baby or child. Reading promotes language development and is a terrific bonding activity for any parent or caregiver.
• Engaging in outdoor time. Gently introducing the outdoor world to your baby or young child can benefit you both. The outdoor world offers a wide range of sensory activities, from the feel of the breeze to the texture of a leaf.
• Skin-to-skin cuddling. Skin-to-skin contact is one of our oldest and most natural ways of bonding. Fathers can get in on the action during cuddling and naptime to build a stronger bond with their babies.
• Giving a new mother a break during the bathtime routine can be a win-win. It’s quality time for father and baby and gives Mom a little bit of “me” time.

Fathers can also build long and lasting bonds with older babies, toddlers and children through activities. They can take up a hobby together, like fishing or a sport; cook a meal together regularly; or learn to a play a game together, like bingo or Jenga.

Nature has some surprising examples of dedicated dads. This June, take a moment to honour one of the best of them, the human dad.

Happy Father’s Day. How will you celebrate? Share with us on Instagram or Facebook.