In the wild, parenting is the act of ensuring a future for one’s kind and defying extinction. However, there is no single right way to parent. Each strategy is shaped over millions of years by evolution and the demands of survival. Text by Rithwik Sundar.
From the outside, the laws of the natural world may seem brutal: a cycle of predation, survival of the fittest, adaptation to harsh environments, and the constant drive to acquire energy through food and to reproduce. However, against all these odds, there exists a deliberate act of hope that defies this harshness and bets against it – parenting. Every time a bird flies away from its nest in search of food for its hungry offspring, it risks its own life, but that is the gamble it takes to ensure the survival of its kind. A chimpanzee mother keeps her baby with her for years, until it is ready, until she has passed on everything it will need to survive in the wild, investing time, energy, and exposing herself to risk. In the wild, parenting is the act of ensuring a future and defying extinction.
Sea turtle hatchlings find their way to the ocean by instinct alone, drawn to the light on the horizon. Photo: Rahana Rafeeq/Sanctuary Photolibrary.
Different creatures have their own parenting styles. Mammals give birth to live young and raise them – sometimes for many years – keeping them close and safe. In contrast, not all, but many, reptiles, amphibians, and fish lay eggs and leave the site. However, this does not mean they do not take careful steps to protect their young – they may choose safe locations with feeding opportunities or lay large numbers of eggs to increase the chances of survival.
Take, for example, the sea turtle. In great numbers, females return to the very shores where they were born to lay their eggs before returning to the sea. They trust that the hatchlings, once born, will find their way to the ocean by instinct alone, drawn to the light on the horizon. Then there are octopus mothers; many lay eggs just once in their lives. For months or even years, she guards them without eating. When her young hatch, she dies. Among birds, the female Greater Painted Snipe stands out by initiating courtship, mating with multiple males, and departing after laying her eggs, leaving the male to care for the offspring.
The female Greater Painted Snipe leaves after laying eggs; the male raises the young. Photo: Sonu Arora/Sanctuary Photolibrary.
When it comes to elephants, the young are raised by the entire herd, led by a matriarch. And brood parasitic cuckoos? They leave the responsibility of raising their young to other birds. In short, there is no single right way to parent in the wild. Each strategy is shaped and refined over millions of years by evolution and the demands of survival.
The Common Hawk-Cuckoo tricks the Jungle Babbler into raising its chick. Photo: Dinesh Thakur/Sanctuary Photolibrary.
Humans have often viewed caregiving as a female responsibility, but nature offers a far more diverse picture. In spotted hyena clans, females are dominant and lead hunts. Lionesses are both providers and protectors. Among seahorses, it’s the fathers who carry and birth the young, completely flipping the script. Many also might wonder why male birds are often colourful, while females appear drab by comparison. What is often overlooked is the fact that the female’s muted colours evolved as camouflage, helping her and her chicks stay hidden from predators and increasing their chances of survival. Same-sex penguin couples have been recorded successfully adopting and raising chicks, becoming global symbols of equality. Humans, however, tend to interpret parenting and such patterns in the natural world through cultural bias. This narrow view limits our understanding of parenting.
A Sarawak pygmy swell shark egg case is also called a ‘mermaid’s purse’. Photo: Public Domain.
Despite varied parenting strategies, survival isn’t guaranteed. A bear cub left alone after its mother is hunted faces slim chances, and exposed snake eggs risk predators. Yet, parenting endures – Barn Swallows nest near humans to avoid predation. Such bold examples of parenting in the wild surround us. Without language or written philosophy, the wild pass down legacies.
Lionesses guard their cubs from threats, including rival males and other predators. Photo: Dr. Mohan Ram/Sanctuary Photolibrary.
Before I conclude, I’d like to share an anecdote I heard from a fellow traveller. One day, in a national park, a group of tourists were disturbing an elephant and her calf while taking photographs. The irritated elephant led her calf to safety, placing it in the care of a researcher who had been observing and studying the wild herd for months and had apparently earned her trust. After leaving her calf under his supervision, she charged at the tourists. While I take this story with a grain of salt, it seems plausible. Stories like this convince me that parenting is where biology meets emotion. Parenting is life trying its best to make it to the future. It is the little nudge the big bird gives its fledgling so it may take flight and claim the sky. In that effort, human and non-human animals are truly kin.
Rithwik Sundar is an Assistant Editor at Sanctuary Asia. He enjoys walking in nature, watching birds, and looking for fish in streams. Most days, he is planning his next adventure into the wild. Lately, he’s also gotten into watching anime.
