Featured Animal: Baby Animals
We didn't want to settle on just one animal for April, so we decided to showcase all different types of baby animals.
Ducklings
Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, mostly smaller than their relatives the swans and geese, and may be found in both fresh water and sea water. Ducklings are particularly vulnerable, since their inability to fly makes them easy prey.
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Bunnies
Rabbits are small found in several parts of the world. Rabbits generally live between four and 10 years. A rabbit's gestation period is 31 days.
Fawns
Most fawns are born with their fur covered with white spots, though they lose their spots once they get older (excluding the Fallow Deer who keeps its spots for life). In the first twenty minutes of a fawn's life, the fawn begins to take its first steps. Its mother licks it clean until it is almost free of scent, so predators will not find it. Its mother leaves often, and the fawn does not like to be left behind. Sometimes its mother must gently push it down with her foot. The fawn stays hidden in the grass for one week until it is strong enough to walk with its mother. The fawn and its mother stay together for about one year. A male usually never sees his mother again, but females sometimes come back with their own fawns and form small herds.
Goslings
Geese usually mate for life, though a small number will 'divorce' and remate. They tend to lay a smaller number of eggs than ducks. Both parents protect the nest and young, which usually results in a higher survival rate for the young geese.
Tadpoles
A tadpole is the first stage of a frog or toad. They do not have arms or legs until later stages in their lives. Most tadpoles are herbivorous, subsisting on algae and plants.
Baby Porcupines
During the breeding season, males and females form pair bonds to get to know each other. The African brush-tailed porcupine has a long pregnancy compared to other rodents; 110 days at the longest. Porcupines reach maturity at two years of age.
Lion Cub
The female gives birth to a litter of one to four cubs. Cubs are weaned after six to seven months. In the wild, competition for food is fierce and many don't last their first year.
Young Sea Otters
The brownish yellow pups are born at around 1-2kg, with baby fur that last for three to four months. They are totally dependent on the mother during this time for food and grooming, and she usually carries them around constantly on her upturned belly, nursing for 4 weeks or so. Pups are dependent for 5-15 months. The mother is responsible for teaching the pups how to hunt, dive, and groom effectively.
Elephant Baby
After a twenty-two-month pregnancy, the mother will give birth to a calf that will weigh about 250 pounds and stand over 21/2 feet tall. Elephants have a very long childhood. They are born with fewer survival instincts than many other animals. Instead, they must rely on their elders to teach them the things they need to know. All members of the tightly knit female group participate in the care and protection of the young. Since everyone in the herd is related, there is never a shortage of baby-sitters. In fact, a new calf is usually the center of attention for all herd members. All the adults and most of the other young will gather around the newborn, touching and caressing it with their trunks. The baby is born nearly blind and at first relies, almost completely, on its trunk to discover the world around it.
Wildebeest Calf
The calves can walk within minutes, and after a few days can keep up with the rest of the herd. After calving, the breeding season begins again.
Baby Dolphin
Baby dolphins are called calves. For about three years a mother dolphin keeps their baby home to teach the baby dolphin how to catch fish, squid, crustaceans and other types of food. Also a mother dolphin would teach their baby other important tasks such as protecting themselves from their enemies.
Baby Orangutan
Mothers will stay with their babies until the offspring reaches six of seven years old. Females can weigh around 100 pounds, while fully mature males can weigh over 260 pounds.
Red Fox Kits
Males will supply food to females up to and after birthing, otherwise leaving the female alone with her kits in a 'maternity den.' An average litter size is five kits, but may be as large as 13. Kits are born blind and may weigh as much as.33 pounds. Their eyes are open by two weeks and the kits have taken their first exploratory steps out of the den by five weeks.
Hippopotamus Calf
Baby hippos are born underwater at a weight between 60 to110 pounds and must swim to the surface in order to take their first breath. The young often rest on their mothers' backs when in water that is too deep for them, and they swim underwater in order to suckle.
Puppy
The canine's average litter consists of about six puppies, though this number may vary widely based on the breed of dog. Toy dogs generally produce from one to four puppies in each litter, while much larger breeds may average as many as 12 pups in each litter.
Watch a rare video of a panda and her cub in the wild.
