Parental care in the animal kingdom is often seen as a female responsibility, but some male mammals, like the Djungarian hamster, challenge this stereotype. In a fascinating exploration by Elah Feder, it's revealed that these male hamsters play an active role in nurturing their young, acting as midwives during birth. Katherine Wynne-Edwards, a veterinary professor, highlights how these fathers become integral to the survival of their pups, reinforcing the notion that, contrary to many mammals, good fatherhood can exist and flourish in specific species.
In mammals, good dads are the exception. Male leopards, bears, or cats have a habit of toddling off after mating and leaving the mothers to raise the kids.
It took Katherine Wynne-Edwards a while to figure out exactly what these male hamsters were doing. But then she saw it: they were acting as midwives, physically delivering the babies.
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