DELAWARE- This Mother’s Day, Outdoor Delaware is casting a spotlight on the maternal instincts of the state’s wildlife, showcasing species from the resourceful Virginia opossum to the melodious spring peeper. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control biologists reveal the fascinating parenting behaviors of local wildlife.
Virginia Opossum: Delaware's only native marsupial, the Virginia opossum, mothers up to 13 babies at a time. These joeys, born blind and hairless, clamber into their mother’s pouch immediately after birth, spending the first two months of life nestled there.
"Out of the furbearers, I definitely think that they’re one that take exceptional care of their young," said Hunter Slear, DNREC’s furbearer biologist.
Beaver: In the tranquil freshwater habitats of Delaware, beavers build sturdy lodges where they raise four to eight kits. Unlike many wildlife species, juvenile beavers may stay with their families for an additional year, learning essential survival skills before striking out on their own.
During the birthing season in late spring, female white-tailed deer isolate themselves to protect and nurture their newborns, often concealed within dense vegetation. Courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
White-tailed Deer: During the birthing season in late spring, female white-tailed deer isolate themselves to protect and nurture their newborns, often concealed within dense vegetation. Misunderstandings occur when humans mistakenly believe solitary fawns have been abandoned. The mother knows where her fawn rests and typically is not very far away, although a fawn will remain in its spot until its parent comes to fetch it.
"Anyone who spots a baby deer in the wild should let it be, even if it appears to be on its own," said DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife deer biologist Sam Millman.
Spring Peeper: Known for their distinctive singing, these tiny frogs lay about 900 eggs in predator-free waters. Over the course of six to 12 weeks, they will transform into fully independent frogs, although the vast majority of these will not survive long enough to reproduce.
Known for their distinctive singing, these tiny frogs lay about 900 eggs in predator-free waters. Courtesy of DNREC.
Osprey: Delaware's ospreys return in the spring and summer to add to their enduring nests, with females primarily incubating the eggs while males provide food. The chicks, dependent on their parents for about two months, learn to fish before embarking on their migratory journey south by the end of summer. Nests may start out small, but because ospreys often use the same nest year after year, they can grow over time as the birds add to it, eventually becoming large enough for an adult human to sit in, according to DNREC.
For more information on the mother's of Delaware's natural world, visit DNREC's website here.