Awesome Animal Moms!

May 10, 2020

by Aaron Pflug • Kidzeum Staff

Ahh, another lazy Sunday…absolutely nothing special about today…

Kidding! Of course, it’s Mother’s Day!

In honor of all the human moms out there, let’s check out a few Awesome Animal Moms!

Polar Bears

Polar bear mothers really seem to assume all responsibility for taking care of the cubs. She starts out by packing on hundreds of pounds and selecting a den. After waiting for the snow to cover her up, she passes out for months. During that time, she doesn’t eat, gives birth, and provides milk for the newborn (and rapidly growing) cubs. Finally, the group emerges from the den. And, mom will then spend the next few years teaching necessary skills to her cubs.

Orangutan

Perhaps it is no surprise the highly intelligent Orangutan is an excellent mother. However, that does not diminish the efforts this primate takes to protect and raise her young. Orangutans will spend up to seven years caring for their young and never put them down while they are still nursing. Furthermore, she builds a new nest – complete with pillows – most nights!

Octopus

While the giant Pacific octopus may not provide years of direct nurturing, mothers from this species cannot be accused of taking it easy! After laying more than 50,000 eggs in safe secluded spot, she will spend the next five or six months guarding the brood and ensuring water continues to flow over the eggs. She won’t eat or move from her post, literally and totally exhausting every bit of energy.

Black Lace-Weaver Spider

Let’s wrap up with a terrifying entry: the Black Lace-Weaver spider. Everything seems relatively normal as this mom guards her eggs. Then, they start to hatch…and the first wave of new spiderlings begin to eat the unhatched eggs. In what is certainly the most absurd moment of animal kingdom maternity, the mother does nothing. When the spiderlings finish eating their siblings, mom then encourages them to devour her. Which they do.

But, let’s be honest: none of these animal moms comes close to the absolute best Mom on the planet: my Mom! I admit…I’m biased…you may have an alternate nominee!

In any case, Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms, Grandmas, Stepmoms, Guardians, and/or anyone else deserving of some recognition today! It may be a weird one but, at least, it’s memorable!