Role model Mums of the animal kingdom from WWF

This Mother’s Day, mums have even greater burdens to carry than usual. But, as the animal kingdom proves, the matriarchy is strong  -  and provides excellent role models.

Great mums come in all shapes and sizes and animals are no exception.

Orangutans - Young orangutans stay with their mother until they reach around 7 years old. They spend this time learning everything from her – including what’s good to eat.  Infants  ride on their mum’s body and sleep in her nest until they develop their own skills to survive on their own. Because of this long learning curve, orangutans only have young once every 7 – 9 years, which is the longest birth interval of any land mammal.

Polar Bears – Mother bears are teachers and protectors. They keep their cubs close by and ‘clack’ at them when they wander off. They will fight off predators – including larger male bears – and sometimes hide cubs from danger when fleeing a threat. During their two or three years together, the cubs mimic their mothers’ every move, learning how to hunt, swim, den and migrate. The mother bears teach their cubs everything they need to know, until it’s time for them to mate again and potential fathers scare the cubs away. Then the mothers’ cycle begins again.

Snow leopards – Mother snow leopards have a close bond with their young and help them to become accustomed to the rough terrain in which they live, teaching them vital life skills. The cubs remain with their mother until they become independent, normally at 18 - 22 months old. Sibling groups sometimes stay together when they're first independent - which could explain reportings of up to five snow leopards in a group.  Snow leopards’ elusive nature means there is still much for us to learn about them. Recent camera trap footage captured by WWF is important for us to gain a better understanding of snow leopards’ lives, threats they face, and how we can best protect them.

Bottlenose Dolphins – Like many whales and dolphins, they live in a matriarchy. The most experienced and mature females run their groups. The daughters help them, and the ‘grandmas’ raise the younger generation. To preserve dolphins and whales we need protected areas and to stop animals getting caught in fishing gear. If the most important areas are protected from human impact, these creatures will have enough food and a safe place to live. WWF is campaigning for healthy oceans with well managed marine protected areas (MPAs). .

European bison – The bison group leader is always female. Family herds are made up of several mature females, a few males and young adults which are not ready to breed. The chief female bison will leave the herd to give birth, returning a few days later with their babies. In Russia WWF helped bring back bison from extinction, bringing animals in from other countries to increase their numbers and improve genetic diversity.

Red-necked phalarope – While males of other species have bright and distinct plumage, for phalaropes it is the females who ‘dress’ in colourful feathers. Once the female has wooed her inconspicuous grey and white male partner, she doesn’t let him go far, as she leaves both the nest and the eggs in his care. He raises the babies, while she gets on with her independent life.

Dr Caroline Coch, WWF wildlife expert, said: “Matriarchy is common in the natural world and in many species female animals play the leading role. They act as keepers of knowledge, understanding the best paths and ways to migrate and pass these skills on to the next generation.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

To adopt an orangutan, polar bear, snow leopard, dolphin or other animal as a Mother’s Day Gift, please visit www.wwf.org.uk/adoptions

WWF and Sky Ocean Rescue are campaigning for the UK Government to use 2020 as an “ocean super year” and develop a truly world-leading Ocean Recovery Action programme (ORcA) for domestic waters, translating bold global commitments into practical action at home. More info here.

WWF Russia runs programmes to protect indigenous animals mentioned in this release, including the Bison Preservation Strategy and is working to establish greater numbers of wildlife corridors so animals can migrate safely.

About WWF

WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, active in nearly 100 countries. Our supporters – more than five million of them – are helping us to restore nature and to tackle the main causes of nature’s decline, particularly the food system and climate change. We’re fighting to ensure a world with thriving habitats and species, and to change hearts and minds so it becomes unacceptable to overuse our planet’s resources. 

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Find out more about our work, past and present at wwf.org.uk