How animals perceive their offspring. Caring for the offspring of animals (aquatic). in wild nature

To complete a 3rd grade assignment on the world around us and draw a picture of how domestic animals take care of their offspring, I chose a pet cat and her offspring kittens.

Really a cat good mom, she loves to take care of her babies, licks their eyes while they are still blind so that they open them as early as possible, feeds them with her milk and warms them with her body.

IN wildlife wild cat hunts various rodents and brings them to their kittens.

This is how you can draw step by step how a cat feeds its kittens







Painted cat with kittens with a simple pencil can be colored with colored pencils.

Pets raise their offspring care about him, feed him, protect him.

Even a kind dog becomes stricter when she has puppies and someone else wants to see her offspring. Dogs don't like this very much.

The cat constantly drags her kittens from place to place - looking for the most secluded, safe place for her cubs.

Here is a very simple drawing of a cat hugging her kittens so that they would not run away from their strict mother.



A dog washing a puppy. A cat carrying a kitten to the nest, so to speak. Or a cat protecting kittens from a dog

Domestic animals include all those animals that humans have managed to tame. It's so interesting to watch how pets take care of their babies! A cow licks her calf, a cat teaches a kitten to catch mice, a dog endures playful biting from her puppy, a hen shelters her chicks from the weather...

This is not so easy to draw for a child. You can paste a photo. Or make a simple drawing.

The love of parents for their children knows no bounds and this applies not only to people, but also to our smaller brothers. When children are born, we all become equal and try to give our children as much warmth and care as possible so that they do not need anything and are always well-fed and happy with life.

One of the most best moms- domestic cat. Her maternal instinct makes itself felt a few days before birth. All these days she is in search of an object for her care. After the birth of kittens, she will not leave them a single step and will not allow anyone to get close to them. Cats literally dote on their kittens, selflessly dissolving in caring for the babies. The maternal instinct is phenomenally developed in domestic cats. At the same time, there are many cases where they tenderly fed representatives of other families, doing this no less devotedly than caring for their own children. People have noticed this for a long time. They began to use these animals in fur farms to feed newly born sables and fox cubs. A cat can take the cub of any animal under its wing and leave it. Moreover, he will not be deprived of either love or care.
In one interesting study, German zoologists experimented with a cat raising little chicks! The mother cat looked after them, licked them and put them to sleep, hugging them to her to warm them with her warmth. When, during the experiment, a brood of chickens was attacked by a hawk, the cat, without a second of doubt, rushed to their defense and, even being greatly inferior in “combat power” to the deadly predator, managed to save the helpless babies from inevitable death!



Tigresses are not inferior in their caring to cats. A mother tiger feeds her little tiger cubs with milk for up to six months, even though after two months they are quite capable of eating meat. From the second half of the first year of existence, the tiger mother begins to patiently teach her cubs the wisdom of hunting, without knowledge of which the cubs would simply die in independent life. It is interesting that the entire process of feeding and training lies entirely with the tigress - the tiger dad practically does not take part in this.



If a lioness becomes pregnant, then, shortly before giving birth, she leaves the pride, finds a shady, inconspicuous place and there the offspring are born - on average, three lion cubs. At first they are looked after by their mother, and after returning to the pride, all lionesses are equally affectionate with the cubs and do not distinguish between their own and others.
Newborn lion cubs weigh only 1-2 kg. On the 11th day they open their eyes, and on the 15th they begin to walk. For the first two months of life, they feed only on milk, but at this age they, together with their mother, return to the pride and, in addition to milk, gradually become accustomed to meat. At the age of 7 months (up to 10) they switch completely to eating meat. Soon they begin to accompany adult lions while hunting, and from 11 months they can already kill prey on their own. However, independent life is still a long way off: a lion cub usually does not leave the pride until two or even four years of age. Young females generally remain in the pride. The lion, as the head, remains in the territory under his control and protects it and his cubs from the attacks of hyenas and other lions. At the same time, the lioness, being the breadwinner of the entire pride, spends her time hunting. Raising offspring of lions falls entirely on the lioness. When the lion cubs grow up, she takes them with her, preparing them for independent life in a world full of dangers.



Mother elephants show no less care for their babies. The elephant carries her baby for 22 months and then takes very good care of it. for a long time. All newborn elephant calves are blind, overgrown with hair and have difficulty standing on their feet. They constantly need help. The young mother is always helped by an “auntie” - an experienced elephant from the herd. She teaches the inexperienced mother everything related to caring for the baby. This same “auntie,” as a midwife, was next to the elephant during childbirth and provided assistance to her. Stronger elephant calves exhibit excessive curiosity and playfulness. Having played too much, they can run far and get lost. Supervising them is a real punishment for a young mother. Therefore, not only the “aunts”, but also all the female elephants of the herd feel responsible for the young. This allows the elephants to be surrounded by round-the-clock care.


Orangutans can become pregnant only once in 8 years, so children are very long-awaited and beloved for them. Females will care about their lives as much as they care about their own. Female large apes (orangutans, gorillas, macaques and baboons) show touching care for newborns. The cub is under constant maternal control for a very long time. They constantly caress him, look into his eyes with love. The females begin to introduce the grown and strengthened baby to the flock. This is very similar to human behavior. Orangutans and gorillas are very patient and never punish their young. They raise their young for about 10 years: they teach them how to get food, distinguish edible grass from poisonous grass, build a nest, and protect themselves from rain.



Mother bears are caring mothers and spend several years raising their cubs. Bears are in third place after humans and primates in terms of the level of care for their cubs. A female bear gives birth to 2-3 tiny cubs weighing about 0.5 kg each. They are blind, naked, helpless and in need of maternal care. The bear keeps the cubs warm on her belly among the fur, warming them with her hot breath. She feeds the cubs with thick milk, which she produces from fat reserves accumulated over the summer. With the onset of warmth, the grown-up cubs leave the den along with the mother bear and, under her supervision, bask in the sun and feed on what can be found in the forest at that time.
Bear cubs that are one year old are called pestuns. They share maternal care for the little cubs. After 3-4 years, the nurturers grow up, and the cubs themselves become nurturers. The father bear does not participate in raising his offspring. In the taiga, where there is an abundance of food for bears, they do not show aggression. But the same cannot be said about a mother bear with a litter. It is better not to come across such an individual in the field of view at all. If the mother decides that you pose a danger to her offspring, even an armed person will not be able to oppose her.



Living in very harsh conditions, polar bears nevertheless show an example of care and concern for their babies. A mother bear, preparing for childbirth, actively gains weight, which almost doubles by the time her offspring appear! And all this just so as not to die from exhaustion after the appearance of little cubs - after all, they need not only to be born, but also to be fed! And this is not a matter of one day.
Before giving birth, the bear makes herself a cozy den in the snow, where she falls into a half-asleep - some semblance of hibernation among her mainland counterparts. In this state, childbirth occurs. Once born, polar bear cubs are completely helpless and need round-the-clock care from their mother. This is where the weight you gained comes in handy. A mother bear carefully feeds her cubs for eight months and only after that she takes them out of the den to take them to the water and teach them how to fish.
Over the next few years, the mother bear takes care of her cubs, teaching them all the wisdom of life in harsh Arctic conditions, showing an example of maternal love and care for her offspring.



The beaver mother is very kind to the little ones, but at the same time she does not forget to teach them life with all the rigor. To accustom them to water, the first time she has to forcefully push the reluctant beaver cubs into the underwater corridor. But this is only for their benefit; a caring female will never cause harm to her offspring. Until two months, the beaver, one might say, does not leave the little critters, feeds them with milk, and cleans their “fur coat.” After the babies are a month and a half old, they are gradually weaned from the breast and accustomed to regular food. First, they are given soft leaves and water lilies, in addition to this, they are also fed with mother’s milk. All family members take care of the cubs, protect them and make sure they don’t get into trouble.
For two years, beaver parents have been trying to teach their children everything they will need in independent life: building dams, housing, building pantries, how to store food for the winter, and how to protect themselves from natural enemies.



Before the appearance of offspring, a cautious fox makes its hole in the most
remote corners of the forest. In addition to the main hole, she makes several more spare ones, so that in case of danger there is somewhere to drag the fox cubs. When babies are born, the mother feeds them with her milk and warms them with her body. In the first months, she leaves the hole only to eat and again hurries to the children. After two months, the fox cubs' eyes open and teeth erupt. Then the mother takes them by the scruff of the neck and carries them out onto the soft grass, into the sun. The fox teaches kids to be careful. As soon as the fox cubs hear a suspicious rustling, they rush as fast as they can and hide in
hole. Every day the mother throws the children out sunlight. The fox cubs tumble in the grass, run after each other, and the fox sits and guards. At first, the fox itself brings them food - a mouse, a frog, and when they grow up a little, the mother begins to teach them to hunt: she takes the children away from the hole and shows how to catch beetles, butterflies and mice.


The koala is Australia's cutest and most beloved marsupial. The cubs are born hairless, blind and deaf, tiny and teddy bear-like. For 5 - 7 months, children remain in their mother's pouch,
feeding on mother's milk, after which they move to her back, where they live for their own pleasure for quite a long time.



Kangaroos are amazing animals. They are not only beautiful and unusual,
but also caring mothers. Even the largest kangaroos weigh less than 1 gram at birth. The newborn crawls into the mother's pouch, where it attaches itself to one of the four nipples. Kangaroos can produce four types of milk, depending on the age of the kangaroo. Each type of milk is produced in a different nipple. In addition, she can have two types of milk at the same time if she has cubs of different ages.
The mother takes care of the babies even after they leave the pouch. Large red kangaroos have a unique feature that allows them to increase the persistence of the species. Despite the fact that a female kangaroo usually gives birth to only one baby after mating, she can delay the appearance of another while she is carrying the first (and she does not need a male at all). Thus, if the female has lost a cub, or, as sometimes happens, it has grown quickly and left the mother's pouch, she can immediately begin to bear a second one. Large red kangaroos also use this ability to delay the gestation of their young in cases where they find themselves in unfavorable conditions for bearing offspring.
By the way, another interesting feature of this species is that the female kangaroo produces milk of different fat content for cubs of different ages - and can do this at the same time.



Hedgehog is a very conscientious mother. She sets up a “children’s room” for her children ahead of time - a round hole underground, lined with a thick layer of dry leaves. Here 7-8 babies are born, blind, helpless, pink and soft. After two weeks, their eyes open and they grow
needles. During the first days, the mother does not leave the hedgehogs for a minute and feeds them with her milk. When leaving, she covers the children with grass and leaves: the babies are invisible, and they are warm in such a package. When the hedgehogs' eyes open, they begin to leave the nest. They huddle together. Those who lag behind their mother squeak pitifully, and the mother runs back and looks for them. He will find them and use his nose to urge them on so that they don’t lag behind.



Despite their ferocious appearance and the remarkable strength of their toothy jaws, female alligators are among the most caring mothers in the animal world. Even before laying eggs, the mother alligator carefully selects the place for laying. At the same time, she cooks two different places- one for future girls, and the other for boys, arranging one in a pile of warm leaves, and the other, covering it with cool moss.
After the eggs are laid, the mother takes up a permanent watch, guarding her future children like a vigilant sentry. It is clear that, being under such protection, almost all eggs remain safe and sound. And immediately after the little crocodiles emerge from them, the mother sends them all into her huge mouth! But not at all in order to have breakfast with them, but in order to deliver them to the water. Mom takes care of her children for another whole year!



Female killer whales cannot be denied vigilance. The fact is that newborn dolphins cannot sleep for a month after their birth. Their mothers have to adhere to the same schedule in order to be able to monitor their restless offspring and protect the cubs from numerous enemies in time.
Mother dolphins spend a lot of time teaching their cubs various skills: how to swim properly, catch prey, and avoid danger from predators.
Female dolphins never abandon their cubs in trouble, and also adopt other people’s babies who have become orphans, saving dolphin calves from starvation.

We can continue to describe examples of the manifestation of maternal instinct in animals ad infinitum. One thing is clear: they, just like people, look forward to replenishment, take care of the babies, rejoice at the successes of their cubs and encourage them in every possible way.

In conclusion, I really want to remember and watch with you one of the best and kindest cartoons ever created in our country - “Mother for a Baby Mammoth.”
Soviet hand-drawn cartoon from 1981. Writer: Dina Nepomnyashchaya. Director: Oleg Churkin. The roles were voiced by: Klara Rumyanova - a baby mammoth, Zinovy ​​Gerdt - a walrus, Rina Zelenaya - an elephant and a hippopotamus, Zinaida Naryshkina - a monkey.
There are very special cartoons that seem to be intended for children, but also melt the hearts of adults. “Mother for Baby Mammoth” is just one of those. When you see a small and lost cub looking for its mother, everything turns upside down in your soul.

A mother for a baby mammoth is a cartoon that instills in us the simplest and most important feelings in our lives. Feelings of love, compassion, pity, hope. After all, it is only thanks to them that we are human.

The process of hatching eggs emperor penguin lasts about two months, during which the male holds the egg in his paws, covering it with folds of skin to protect it from the cold and so that it does not roll onto the ice. This body position forces him to starve during the entire incubation period.

The relationship of animals to their children is very diverse - some, like people, take care of them in pairs, some - alone, others do not care for them at all. The frog leaves the laid eggs immediately, and the turtle does the same. However, it is worth noting that they lay a huge number of eggs, thanks to which at least some of the offspring survive. In some species of snakes, the young are born independent, so there is no need to monitor them. Although there are exceptions here: even despite the independence of the cub, the female cobra looks after him. The rest of the animals, for the most part, take care of their offspring for quite a long time.

Can only females produce offspring?

In some animal species, fathers carry eggs laid by the female in their bodies. For example, a seahorse takes eggs laid by a female into its abdominal pouch, and after about 15 days prepares for childbirth: clinging to algae with its tail, it gives birth to up to 200 fry. Male Darwin's rhinoderma frog, common in South America carries the eggs laid by the female in her vocal sac, where the eggs develop into tadpoles. After which they independently leave their “incubator”, crawling out of their father’s mouth.

Small predators

The Nile crocodile lays its eggs in a hole covered with earth and plant debris. When the babies are ready to hatch, they make a special sound, thereby signaling to the mother that the time has come to remove the eggs from the ground.

We can talk endlessly about the habits and behavior of animals. At the same time, they all pursue the same goal - to promote their survival. And that's not only various ways protection from predators, but also methods of parental care for their offspring. After all, it is precisely from this factor, in to a greater extent, depends on the size of their population.

Animals approach this issue in different ways. Some try to place their den or nest in hard-to-reach and as safe places as possible, others do not leave their babies, protecting them from predators, others simply carry babies on their backs or in a special bag located on their stomachs, while others only feed the babies, and have absolutely no interest in their safety. At the slightest threat, they simply leave the nest, leaving the offspring to fend for themselves. Whether this is right or not is not for us to judge, because for some reason it was predetermined by Nature. And yet, let's look at the most popular methods of caring for their offspring by some animals and fish.

Let's start with fish, among which we can distinguish the most caring parents. We will not dwell on those representatives who, to maintain survival, use a method based on the number of eggs laid. The more there are, the better. Such fish lay a huge number of eggs on the seabed, and this is where their parental responsibilities end.

Nannostomus behaves completely differently. This fish builds its nest in the safest place, among dense thickets aquatic plants. But some betta fish act differently. As building material for nesting, they use their own saliva. The male does this work. It fills the saliva with air, and then beats it with its fins until a thick foam forms. The female lays her eggs in this substance. The fry then develop in it, which the male vigilantly guards.

To ensure the safety of the offspring, Tropheus fish resorts to a rather original method. Due to the fact that the female lays a minimal number of eggs, she carries them in her mouth. The fry are also born there and feel completely safe.

Some fish, including cichlids, lay eggs in mollusk shells to ensure the safety of their offspring.

Octopuses also take care of their offspring in an original way. Males die after mating. The female climbs into a rocky crevice, where she lays eggs. To warm the eggs and provide them with an additional flow of oxygen, she hugs them with her tentacles and constantly drives water through the siphon, directing the stream to the clutch. At the same time, she stops feeding and dies after six months. Once born, octopuses subsequently lead an independent life. For what reason their parents die, we do not know. Most likely, this is due to Nature’s reluctance to allow them to evolve into more intelligent beings. At least, this is the hypothesis that some scientists adhere to.

To preserve their offspring and ensure their safety, some aquatic animals breed on land. This is what crocodiles and turtles do, for example. The first ones build nests from stones, sand and branches, and then lay eggs there. All this time, the female vigilantly guards the clutch and does not leave it even a step. Turtles dig holes in the sand and lay their eggs there.

The most conscientious and caring parents can be considered whales. These are viviparous animals. The birth of a baby whale occurs in shallow water, in warm water, in some safe bay. The baby is under the supervision of parents and members of the pack for a long time. The mother may leave the babies and go in search of food. At this time, they are looked after by the females who are part of the flock. They also protect babies from predators.

We are all accustomed to seeing a mother with a stroller, or with a child in her arms. In each country, children are carried differently: in the hands, in a special backpack - a “kangaroo”, in a cradle, simply in a cloth over the shoulders, or on the chest - a “sling”, on the shoulders (typical for the father). How do animals carry their babies in the wild?
After birth, animals necessarily have a certain need to transfer their still completely helpless offspring somewhere. Monkeys, for example, have a fairly developed grasping reflex, so from birth they cling to their mother’s fur with their hands, hanging securely. At the same time, the mother can calmly climb and even jump on trees without causing trouble for the baby. During this time, kids manage to learn all the intricacies of getting food, getting rid of enemies, learning social laws life. Opossums are even more superior to monkeys; they have not one, but several cubs that cling to the mother from all sides, holding on to the fur, and she does not lose anyone.
Everyone knows about Australian kangaroos; they are carried in a special pouch, where the miniature baby, the size of a large bean, grows to normal size. At first, the baby hangs on the nipple, sucking tightly, over time it begins to look like it is out of the bag, and only later jumps out. That is, kangaroo pups up to two years old can be in the mother’s “pocket”, and there are cases when the pouch can contain 1-2 summer child and a newly born baby hanging on the nipple.
Little hippos calmly “ride” in the water on their mother’s back. Elephants, although quite rarely, lift their children on their tusks and carry them to another place.
Mice and shrews save their numerous offspring by placing them in the form of a “train”: one baby grabs the mother’s fur above the tail with its teeth, the second takes the third, the next, and so on until the last. This way the whole family moves together. Rats are even better adapted to changes in their location: if the pups are more or less mature, they walk one after another, holding their tails, but if the children are very tiny, they transport them on their tail, stringing them together like beads.
Crocodiles, having waited for the hatching of their offspring, who call out from the sand, help them get out, tear up the sand and carry them into the water in their terrible mouth, practically between their teeth. And not a single child suffers from this. Some amphibians can also carry eggs, tadpoles and small frogs on their backs.
Interesting stories Naturalists report about turtles: the offspring of crocodiles and turtles are hatched in the same conditions, their eggs are laid in the sand and the babies hatch in the same way. Therefore, crocodiles can carry turtles along with their babies, while suppressing their cruelty and aggression, that is, in this situation, the maternal instinct dominates.
Transportation in the teeth is the most common method in many animals. Watching the animals, you can clearly see that they take the babies precisely by the withers, which is a rather vulnerable place. Parents can tightly squeeze the skin with their teeth, but never cause any harm, injury or mutilation. If you look closely at your pets - cats and dogs - you can often see this. Cats are generally excellent mothers. They feed their kittens long enough breast milk until the baby grows up and is able to eat more adult food on his own. In order for the kitten to receive enough vitamins and energy, it is necessary to choose high-quality food. The best option Royal Canin food for cats, and your kitten will always be energetic, cheerful and healthy.
The witch mother does not spoil her baby with carrying, more often the cub runs after the adults, rolls over in a ball, overcoming obstacles, but when real danger or obstacle threatens, the mother takes it in her teeth and carries it to a safe place. There are cases that even a hedgehog in its teeth carries babies to a dry place if their hole is flooded with water.
Wolves, sensing danger, quickly, with feverish speed, carry their puppies in their teeth to an emergency hole. But during the course of evolution, a different idea about wolves developed: hunters report that a she-wolf will not even give a voice, and not that she will rush at people who take her wolf cubs into a bag. They are too afraid of humans.
Hoofed animals travel long distances with children, holding them between their bodies, feeling their sides next to them. Moose become too aggressive when people approach them while the baby is still nearby on rather thin, unstable legs. In elephants, although they look large, children are completely useless; even their personal trunk gets in the way, so it’s safer to be at the mother’s side. Often the baby hides under the belly of adult elephants, and they support them with their strong trunks if necessary.
They write about the interesting relatives of our pigs - warthogs - that they instill in their babies the ability to wriggle out even from birth: having large fangs, in a cramped hole the mother never worries about not injuring the children with them, they themselves must be able to dodge danger, therefore the one who survived will be able to live on. According to statistics, in the wild the mortality rate of offspring is quite high. But, having learned the wisdom of survival from childhood, the animal has a chance to live as long as it is given.
Some birds can carry not only chicks, but also eggs in their beaks. Some are carried under the wings. Waterfowl “ride” the babies on their backs, since immediately after hatching they are ready for life: they dry off and set off. It’s a strange sight to see how the ducklings run after the duck right through the water, although they have very little strength. But when fatigue sets in, they climb onto their backs and hide in their mother’s feathers. The same can be observed in swans. On their mother's back they not only rest and warm themselves, but also feel safe. Not every predator wants to get to birds swimming in the middle of a pond with chicks on their backs. On land, swans can also fight back; the blows of their wings are quite strong and can even kill a fox.
Incredibly, some birds carry their babies in their paws. For example, the wood sandpiper does this in this way. In case of danger, he grabs the chicks in his paws and flies away from it, even making zigzag movements in flight. And black grouse and wood grouse use the necessary signal to force the chicks to hide or move unnoticed towards the mother.
Scientists believe that a chick that has fallen out of the nest is of little concern to its parents. Heron watching is proof. When a heron chick, staggering in a nest above the water, suddenly falls, the mother does not pick it up, although having a long beak this is quite easy to do, apparently they believe that “what falls, is lost.” But ornithologists think differently: this natural selection If there is no tenacity, then it is not entirely viable.
Unlike herons, almost all birds and other animals, risking their lives, try to save their offspring at any cost: they distract them from predators, make several nests, one of which is false, pretend to be sick and wounded, grab them in the mouth, make a terrible noise and uproar. . After all, caring for offspring is one of the main concerns in life.
Of course, for some groups of organisms, care for offspring does not exist. Firstly, in fish, since the amount of reproductive material in them is quite large, and their genus has flourished for millions of years. Although some of them have guardianship:
- in salmon, which lays eggs in favorable conditions, migrating to spawning sites over considerable distances, after which it dies, fertilizing the environment for the fry;
- the stickleback fish lays few eggs, about 50-70, making a plant nest at the bottom of the reservoir, and after the babies appear, it protects it from enemies;
- The seahorse hides its young in a pouch on its belly.
So, in the multifaceted animal world, a mother is ready to take risks and sacrifice her life for the sake of her offspring. This is the most important law of nature.