Most animals never see their parents! Some insects, fish,amphibians(兩棲動(dòng)物) andreptiles(爬行動(dòng)物)hatch from fertilized eggs and face life completely alone. But we found some unusual animal dads.
Penguin(皇企鵝):A fatherEmperor penguin(皇企鵝,南極地區(qū)一種巨大的企鵝,頸部有桔黃色塊)withstands the Antarctic cold for 60 days ormore to protect his eggs, which he keeps on his feet, covered with a feathered flap. During this entire time he doesn't eat a thing. Most father penguins lose about 25 pounds while they wait for their babies to hatch. Afterward, they feed thechicks(剛出生的皇企鵝)a special liquid from their throats. When the mother penguins return to care for the young, the fathers go to sea to eat and rest.
Monkey(絨猴):Marmosets(在南美洲亞馬遜河流域,生長著世界上最小的猴子——絨猴。絨猴非常罕見,毛如厚絨,平均體重只有250克,體長如人的中指般大,被戲稱為“拇指猴”)are tiny South American monkeys. The fathers take care of their babies from birth. When the marmoset is born, the father cleans it, then carries it to the mother only when it needs to be nursed. When the baby can eat solid food, the father will feed it.
Sandgrouse(沙雞):A father Namaqua sand grouse of Africa's Kalahari Desert flies as far as 50 miles a day in order to soak himself in water and return to his nest, where his chicks can drink from his feathers!
Frog(達(dá)爾文蛙):The male Darwin frog hatches his eggs in apouch(小袋子,文中指“達(dá)爾文蛙的聲囊”)in his mouth. He can eat and continue about his business until his tadpoles(蝌蚪)lose their tails, become tiny frogs, and jump out of his mouth!
Sea horse(海馬):The male sea horse has a pouch in which the mother lays her eggs. The father then looks after the eggs for about two months, until they hatch and leave the pouch. He continues to protect the young until they are able to live on their own.
Rhea(美洲鴕):Rheas(美洲鴕,外形與鴕鳥非常相似,但每只腳有三個(gè)腳趾,又被稱作“三趾鴕鳥”) are large South American birds similar toostriches(鴕鳥). Father rhea takes sole care of his young. From eggs to chicks, he feeds, defends, and protects them until they are old enough to survive on their own.
Catfish(鯰魚):A father sea catfish keeps the eggs of his young in his mouth until they are ready to hatch. He will not eat until his young are born, which may take several weeks.