In honor of Father’s Day, here are the top five dads of the animal kingdom:
1. Sea Horses. The “Mr. Moms” of the marine world, male sea horses carry the eggs until they hatch. Babies then stay with dad until they’re ready to be on their own.
2. Darwin’s Rheas. Also known as South American ostriches, these dads are so protective of their children that they’ve been known to rush cowboys on horseback and attack small airplanes if they get too close.
3. Marmosets. Doing everything but Lamaze class, these little monkeys assist during labor and bite off the umbilical cord. They also take care of the kids when Mom’s not nursing them.
4. Sandgrouse. Living in areas where water is sparse, fathers fly as many as 50 miles to get water for their offspring. After they soak up the water in their breast feathers, they fly home and let their chicks suckle the moisture from their bodies.
5. Red Jungle Fowl. Progenitors of the domestic chicken, fathers protect eggs from predators and teach chicks the ways of the world after they’re born.
Fathers of the animal kingdom are not that different from our own beloved dads.
This Father’s Day, honor all dads by practicing kindness and compassion toward animals. For more information, visit the PETA Web site at www.PETA.org.
