cool facts about animals

animal fact o'the week: male seahorses are the best dads

okay the title may be a stretch, BUT male seahorses do more than most dads in the animal kingdom- they give birth!

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after performing a mating ritual dance (see video below), the female seahorse implants her eggs into the male, who then fertilizes them (see the video below the video below)(this one feels a little invasive… but it’s just so cool to see)

male seahorses birth up to 2000 teeny-tiny youngins at a time. the incubation period is 10 to 25 days, depending on the species, and during this time the female grows new eggs. this process makes for super effective reproduction- the female has time (& energy) to grow more eggs while the male carries the babies. he can actually be impregnated with a new litter the same day he gives birth to the others.