Father’s Day: 20 Awesomest Animal Dads

When male seahorses get laid, they get knocked up. One of the few examples in the animal kingdom where the female lays her eggs in in HIM, the pregnant dad will gestate for about two months before giving birth…contractions and all. He will then protect his babies until they are large enough to fend for themselves.

A species of tiny monkeys found in South America, marmoset dads are probably one of the most hands-on dads in the animal kingdom. Literally. The father takes care of the baby from birth, cleaning it and carrying it to the mother only when it needs to be nursed. Then when the baby can eat solid food, it’s sayonara to mother and Dad’s Day everyday.

Oreophryne frogs develop right from eggs to frogs, nixing the whole tadpole stage thing and eliminating the need for water. In lieu of that, female Oreophryne frogs give birth to their young in a mucus “clutch” that’s up to the dad to carry around and keep safe.

Arowanas are a freshwater fish native to Africa, India, and Australia with a fondness for fatherhood. Besides being expert underwater nest builders, they are also “mouthbrooders.” What are mouthbrooders, you ask? Well, imagine that the only way to keep your infant safe was to keep it in your mouth until it was old enough to fend for itself. Now multiply that by nearly a hundred infants for the arowana. And while it does let its fishlings out of its mouth occasionally to explore the lake floor, the father arowana has a remarkable ability to keep track of how many of its fry it still has left to “bring home.” Just don’t swallow!

The emperor penguin, endemic to Antarctica, is the largest and arguably most regal appearing of all the penguin species. AND it’s all a terrific father. After the female lays her egg miles inland, she needs to return to the ocean for food. So now it’s up to dad to keep the egg incubated in the freezing Antarctic winter…for two months.

A common species of fish found throughout the world, stickleback dads are another example of single parents. In the spring, male sticklebacks build nests from algae, sand, and whatever else they can find, which they glue together using a protein called “spiggin”, formed in their kidneys. Spriggin takes A LOT of energy to make, and so after mating, the already exhausted dad must get even more exhausted because the lady leaves the eggs to his care and goes.

When the mother wolf is in labor, the father wolf will stand outside the den and protect her. After, a father wolf will act much like a human father would—playing with the pups and teaching them how to survive.

Native to South American rivers, the male Darwin's frog also runs his own daycare…in his mouth. Another example of mouthbrooding, tadpoles develop and mature in his vocal sac. After they grow up to a formidable size of about a half an inch, daddy Darwin’s frog coughs up the next generation and sends them on their way.

Not only are these North American swans famously monogamous and lifelong mates, they also are all-star dads. From the minute his partner lays her eggs, dad will take turns incubating them until they hatch. Once they hatch, the baby swans (or cygnets) stay with mom and dad for nearly a year, where you might catch them sitting on dad’s back and keeping warm while he swims and forages for food.

Native across both Americas with invasive populations in Europe, the ruddy duck is an oddity amongst aquatic avians. While males in most duck species peace out after knocking up their lady fowl, the ruddy duck sticks around to help care for its young. What a dad.

While the mama fish is laying her eggs, the Siamese fighting fish father will catch the eggs in his mouth and transfer them to a nest he has built. He guards the eggs until they hatch, then keeps a weary eye on the young, too, until they are big enough to be on their own.

Rheas are large, South American birds similar to the ostrich and an inherently single father. Once the female rhea lays the eggs, the male rhea will take over from incubation, to hatching, to protecting the baby birds until they’re old enough to strike out on their own.

Found exclusively in arid regions of southwest Africa, Namaqua sandgrouse fathers are known to fly over 50 miles a day to soak in predator prone watering holes so it can soak its feathers and bring the water back to its young.

Native to India, the male golden jackal is a serial monogamist who mates for life. Once he and his lady have some pups born, he is attendant and caring and provides much of the food needed for his litter to grow up big and strong by regurgitating food for them.

After finding a mate, the soon-to-be-dad great horned owl must provide for his partner while she incubates the eggs. So he must go hunting for two. Once the eggs hatch, the mother owl still needs to attend to the young completely for a period, so now he’s not only hunting just for wifey, but also 2-4 other voracious mouths.

Found throughout the world, the giant water bug is a rarity in the insect world as they exhibit paternal care. In many of the species of water bugs, the female lays her eggs on the male’s wings and he is in charge of their protection until they hatch.

It’s a bug’s life, and even cockroaches grow up to be dads, too. Despite their infamy for being gross and dirty bugs, cockroaches are actually meticulously clean and it’s up to the dads to build the nest to raise the young. And once the young are born, new cockroach fathers will ingest bird poop to feed to their larvae to get them the nutritional nitrogen they need. (Okay, so maybe that is a little gross and unclean.)

Ariid catfish, found globally, are another great example of moutbrooding dads. A father ariid catfish will carry around a clutch of about half-a-dozen golf-ball sized eggs in his mouth for nearly two months, during which time he won’t eat.

Found in Africa, Asia, and Australia, male weaver birds will use whatever material they can find to build a basket nest to attract a female. Sometimes more than one nest. Once they’ve attracted a lady’s attention, they’ll invite her over, she’ll lay the eggs in his nest within a few days, and then it’s up to dad to do the rest.

A marsupial species found in Australia, this guy is so eager to become a dad he actually DIES. After finding a gal and partaking in mating that can last upwards of 12-hours, the male antechinus dies. But it seems like a pretty good way to go, no? But don’t feel bad, this dad’s death has a purpose—he is taking himself out of the picture to make sure the next generation won’t starve and has plenty to eat.