The animal kingdom has its share of great dads. In some species of birds and fish, males watch over a nest full of eggs and protect their young after hatching. Some insect- and frog-fathers carry offspring on their backs or in their mouths. But my award for best animal dad goes to seahorses (Hippocampus spp.). Male seahorses endure pregnancy and, after a few weeks of gestation, experience contractions when giving birth … to over 100 babies.
Currently, around 50 species of seahorses live in the world. They’re endangered though, due to over-collecting for the pet trade, souvenirs and traditional medicine.
Advertisements
Wow! I had no idea. He has a pouch and the female deposits her eggs in it. Nature and its infinite variety.
Most definitely. And if you want to be awed by more examples of infinite variety, I highly recommend the book “Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice for All Creation”. It’s witty and informative. I’ve even seen college courses that use it as a textbook. 🙂