Dads are heroes, which is why we celebrate Father’s Day! But for animals, dad duties don’t always involve grilling burgers. These superstar animal dads help their kids in unusual ways!
Must… incubate… egg…
After she lays her egg, a mother emperor penguin leaves for two months to recharge and eat by the ocean. While she’s gone, Dad incubates the egg, keeping it warm by covering it with a special flap of skin between his legs. The egg rests on top of his feet, so he can’t move! When the egg hatches and Mom comes back, Dad finally gets his turn at the ocean buffet. He needs it!
Meet my marmoset midhusband
In Brazil, a mother Common marmoset has a little help when she gives birth. The baby’s dad often acts as a midwife! She definitely needs the help, since the baby is a quarter of her body weight. That would be like an 120-pound woman giving birth to a 30-pound baby! No wonder she needs help with delivery and tidying up the nest after the birth.
Look over here!
Piping plovers might be small shorebirds, but the dads can put on an impressive display! Moms and dads share nest-sitting duties until the eggs hatch. While Mom is busy feeding the little ones, Dad keeps a lookout for danger. If a predator shows up, Dad draws its attention away from the nest by pretending to have a broken wing! He acts like an easy meal until the predator is far away from the nest. At the last second, Dad flies away, foiling the predator’s dinner plans!
House Hunters (Toad Edition)
Midwife toads, a unique species of toad, lay their eggs in a long string. To keep them safe, Dad wraps the string of eggs around his back legs! He keeps the eggs in tow for up to a month until he finds a safe body of water to leave them in. When they hatch into tadpoles, they’ll grow into frogs in the nicest pond around!
Worse than when the drive-thru is closed
Emus are large Australian birds with giant nests. One nest can hold up to 40 eggs! It’s Dad’s job to care for the eggs so Mom can get ready to lay even more. As he incubates the eggs, he doesn’t eat or drink, and he hardly sleeps! It can take up to two months, but the eggs eventually hatch. Then Dad can finally get some rest!
A gold-star babysitter
Like many other primates, golden lion tamarinds live in community groups known as troops. Each member of the troop helps care for new babies, but dads end up with a little extra work. At first, members of the troop might take shifts to care for a newborn. But after a few weeks, it’s Dad’s job to give the baby a piggyback ride 24/7! Fathers also make sure their babies are well-fed for months after they’re born.
Parenting isn’t always easy, but these dads rise to the challenge of helping their kids. That’s why every species of dad needs some love! Now it’s time to ask my dad, “Have you ever pretended to have a broken arm?” 👓