During the period of parental care, parents will provide their young with food, shelter, and protection from predators. They will also teach them the skills they need to survive on their own. These skills may include how to find food, how to avoid predators, and how to build a shelter.
Once their young are old enough to care for themselves, parents will typically leave them to live on their own. However, some animals, such as elephants and lions, will stay with their families for life.
Here are some examples of animals that are dependent on their parents:
- Mammals: Mammals are a group of animals that includes cats, dogs, cows, horses, and humans. Mammalian young are born live, and they require a period of parental care in order to survive. This period of care can vary in length from a few weeks to several years.
- Birds: Birds are a group of animals that includes chickens, ducks, geese, and eagles. Bird young are hatched from eggs, and they require a period of parental care in order to survive. This period of care can vary in length from a few weeks to several months.
- Reptiles: Reptiles are a group of animals that includes snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles. While reptiles are not mammals or birds, some reptile species do provide their young with some degree of parental care. For example, some snakes will guard their eggs until they hatch, and some crocodiles will carry their young on their backs.
Here are some examples of animals that are not dependent on their parents:
- Insects: Insects are a group of animals that includes ants, bees, wasps, and butterflies. Insect young are hatched from eggs, and they do not require a period of parental care in order to survive. Instead, they are able to care for themselves from the moment they are born.
- Fish: Fish are a group of animals that live in water. Fish young are hatched from eggs, and they do not require a period of parental care in order to survive. Instead, they are able to care for themselves from the moment they are born.
- Amphibians: Amphibians are a group of animals that includes frogs, toads, and salamanders. Amphibian young are hatched from eggs, and they do not require a period of parental care in order to survive. Instead, they are able to care for themselves from the moment they are born.