DEAR TABBY

DEAR TABBY:  I am a proud steer in the great state of Oklahoma, and I would like to clear up the mistaken idea that all females in the animal world take on the burden of childbirth and raising their young.  I think we should "steer" folks in the right direction and give credit to some of the devoted fathers that are "outstanding in their field."  NO MORE BULL, IDABEL, OKLAHOMA.

DEAR NO MORE BULL:  Holy cow - you're absolutely correct about great dads in the animal world!  The one exception to the rule might be the grizzly bear.  Besides that, there are dads that deserve a lot of credit for their role in caring for, feeding, and protecting their young.  I would be happy to give you some great examples:

Red Fox:  Since the mother (vixen) has to stay in her den with the pups for the first month, the dad provides her with food every 4-6 hours until she can leave the den and start hunting.  Fox dads also show great excitement about being with their pups and will play with them endlessly.  When the pups are three months old, dad teaches them survival skills and how to find food.  What a "foxy" dad!

Barking Frog:  Named for its dog-like call, this is the only North American frog known to help with parenting.  He guards the eggs for several weeks before they hatch, wetting them down with urine if they dry out.  Hmmm, thanks, Dad?!

Greater Rhea:  The male rhea builds a nest in which several female rheas lay their eggs.  The male then incubates up to 50 eggs for six weeks and then cares for the young after they've hatched.  The dads will aggressively guard the babies and will charge at any animal that comes near the babies. (look at the chicks nestled into dad's back feathers). What a super Dad!

OUR #1 DAD AWARD GOES TO:

Seahorse:  The female seahorse deposits her eggs into the male's "brood" pouch.  The eggs will grow for 10-30 days (depending on the species), and the male's belly swells with the young until it's time for delivery.  He will double up to squeeze his stomach and pop out the young - this can take hours!  Moms can sure appreciate this!  Just look at that baby on dad's tail!

That just gets me in the mood to watch manly Foghorn Leghorn in Of Rice and Hen: