While it’s impossible to choose a favorite animal, we think we can all agree on a favorite kind of animal — a baby! Cute, small and full of life, baby animals are a fan favorite. Enjoy these photos of the youngest wildlife on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild. Keep reading for a fact on each animal.
12 fun baby animal facts
1. Sea otters
Sea otter pups start diving as soon as six weeks old.
Watch “Secret Life of Sea Otters.”
2. Attwater’s prairie chickens
A young prairie chick’s diet consists of grasshoppers, caterpillars and beetles.
Watch “Protecting the Prairie Chicken.”
3. Black-footed ferrets
Baby ferrets, called kits, are born in burrows underground.
Watch “Conservation Comeback.”
4. Black bears
All black bear cubs are born around January, when mama bear is in hibernation.
Watch “Into the Bear’s Den.”
5. North Atlantic right whales
Whale calves are born after a year-long pregnancy.
Watch “Safe Passage for Whales.”
6. Sloths
Baby sloths start hanging upside down on their own after just 20 days on Earth.
Watch “Rescuing the Sloths of Panama.”
7. Ocelots
Ocelot kittens are born with blue eyes that’ll turn brown at three months old.
Watch “The Hidden World of Ocelots.”
8. Harpy eagles
Feeding a harpy eaglet is a team effort, with both parents taking turns.
Watch “The Most Powerful Predator of the Sky.”
9. Suwannee River alligator snapping turtles
The gender of these turtle babies is determined by the surrounding temperature. If it’s 77-80.6F, the babies will be male. Female hatchlings are born when it’s 84.2-86F.
Watch “Reptile Rescue.”
10. American crocodiles
Crocodile babies grow up fast! Just a day or two after birth, mother crocodiles leave the nest and hatchlings survive on their own.
Watch “Reptile Rescue.”
11. Coatis
Raising a coati takes a village. Female coatis take turns raising each other’s young.
Watch “Coati Comeback.”
12. Manatees
Manatee babies start swimming on their own just an hour after birth.
Watch “Gentle Giants.”
For even more baby animal fun, watch Season 1, Episode 10, “Baby Animals.”
