‘Motherhood’ – Every time we hear this term we experience strong emotions. Because we have always
heard, seen, and even felt that a mother is someone who nurtures, cares for, and looks out for the needs
of her children, her family, and her friends. A mother aspires to improve the quality of life for her child
around the globe.
However, motherhood in the wild appears significantly different, From one species to the next.
Animals have a variety of fascinating ingrained behaviors and survival strategies that affect how they
care for—or do not care for—their young.
Parenting in the natural world can be utterly lovely or downright terrible. While some animal mothers
coddle their young, others adopt a “sink or swim” mentality and figuratively abandon them soon after
birth. Naturally, it is how things operate in the wild. Because parenting comes from our innate impulses,
just like it does with humans.
• Pandas
Pandas may appear to be devoted mothers to their one and only child, and they most certainly are!
However, the fact that they frequently have two children but only decide to raise one makes them poor
mothers.
Perhaps it’s a cruel quirk of nature, but the mother panda is aware that caring for multiple infants will
reduce the family’s food supply. She often abandons the weaker of the two to hunger while giving utter
disregard to the stronger. Naturalists refer to this as “quality control,” but it is undoubtedly harsh.
• Lionesses
Although lionesses aren’t known for being the worst mothers in the world, the peculiar dynamics of the
lion pride do tend to impair their loyalty to their already-born offspring. One of the first things a
younger, stronger lion will do if he overthrows the pride leader is to murder the youngsters of the
outgoing leader. Surprisingly, their mothers will do nothing but watch it happen. This is so that they can
pass on the best genes to the next generation. If the father of their offspring has been defeated,
however, then his genes are no longer the best for her young.
• Black eagle
Any mother would look respectable in comparison to Mama Eagle. Sibling disputes are undoubtedly
annoying, but the mother eagle just isn’t interested in them. Baby eagles frequently attack the weaker
sibling, even killing it in some cases.
Mama eagle does not step in, though. She stands back and lets the kids play. Although it is rather
severe, the strongest will survive. Mama bird isn’t around to hear the squawking, eitseal
• Harp seals
Certainly not the worst mothers In the animal kingdom are harp seals. At first, they are devoted, but it
only lasts for approximately 12 days. They stay close to their newborns throughout that time and nurse
them constantly. But after that, they left their seal pup stuck on the ice and headed towards the road.
The infants stay there, lose around half of their body weight, and make an effort to avoid being eaten
because they aren’t ready to swim until they are at least eight weeks old. There’s little doubt that life
has started off hard. Furthermore, it is understandable why almost one-third of all young seals perish
within the first year of life.
