These fathers are wild and wonderful!
Seahorse
It’s the male seahorse that gets pregnant and gives birth to baby seahorses. The males and females spend several days dancing around each other and fluttering their fins before they mate. Once they’re ready, the couples swim towards the surface of the water and the female places the bright orange eggs into the male seahorse’s pouch. The male then adds his sperm and seals up the opening to the pouch.
Over the next 20 days, the baby seahorses develop eyes, snouts, and tails. Once they’re fully grown, the male opens the hole in the pouch and gives a violent shake to squeeze all the babies out. After that, the babies are on their own and they may not want to hang around Dad as he may decide they’d make a tasty meal.
Spotted Sandpiper
Female Spotted Sandpipers mate with up to 4 males, leaving the males to incubate the eggs and feed the young.
Frog
Some male frogs take care of the eggs. They may transport the eggs to a safe, wet place by putting them on their back, in a pouch on their belly, or even in their mouth. Or they may wait until the eggs hatch into tadpoles before transporting them from a wet place on land to a body of water. Most often it’s the father who takes care of these tasks but, depending on the species, the mother or both parents may look after these responsibilities.
