Reid Park Zoo: Spotlighting Our Animal Dads

Press release from the Reid Park Zoo:

by
Sam Wilber

June 20, 2021

Happy Father’s Day!

Today we are celebrating some of our wonderful animal fathers. Many species don’t rely on paternal care, but others have dads that go above and beyond!

Meerkat mobs all work together to care for their pups, and Digby (above) played an important role in raising his five pups in 2020.

Trumpeter hornbills rely on their father to feed all the chicks and the mother when they reside in their nest for weeks. Our hornbill, Henry (right), has raised two nests of chicks at our Zoo with his expert care.

Elephants are matriarchal, and female elephants all have very close bonds. Male elephants often come and go from the female herds, and our bull elephant, Mabu (below), is always gentle and doting when he spends time with the females. Mabu was especially helpful at raising his son, Sundzu, to adulthood, where he was able to leave Reid Park Zoo to find a herd of his own. Mabu taught Sundzu the skills a young bull needs to be successful in his new herd!

We appreciate these amazing fathers and are grateful for all of the other animal dads throughout the Zoo!

This press release was produced by the Reid Park Zoo. The views expressed here are the author’s own.