Forward by R.T. Fitch ~president/co-founder of Wild Horse Freedom Federation

courtesy of the HorseChannel.com

“Today we get a double dose of goodness for it is not just “Feel Good Sunday” but also riding in at sunup is Mother’s Day; a day where we celebrate the loving and stoic women who not only brought us into the world but had to put up with our own individualized brand of crap through out their lives.  (Interesting way of putting it)

But today we would like to also honor the women who may not have brought a human child into the world but instead love and care for other species just as if they were/are their own.  From horses to dogs to cats and birds, the variety are countless in numbers and species but none the less, there is a female human heart and hands that tend to the critters well being.

And to those ladies we would like to share a few stories about your animal counterparts who tend to the little ones.

Melissa Cronin, associate editor at Dodo, has taken the time to compile and post Mother Stories from a variety of species which we share with you this day.

We will get you started here but then we’ll send you over to Melissa’s page to finish off the views.

Have a happy day, ladies…we love you all more than you realize.

Keep the Faith!” ~ R.T.

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7 Astonishing Animal Mothers who prove that Mother’s Day should not just be reserved for Humans

1. Opossum moms are better than a minivan.

Opossums are known for giving birth to large litters — and this one is no exception. A passerby spotted this momma with a whopping 15 babies clutching her fur. When the babies are younger, they live in their mom’s pouch — and then switch to her back for a ride as they grow up.

2. Polar bears moms sacrifice their lifestyle and freedom.

Polar bear moms are some of the most dedicated ones out there — they gain over 200 pounds and spend 9 months holed up in a tiny den in preparation for birth where Mom goes four to eight months without eating. She gives birth while in den isolation, then when Spring arrives around March, Mom leads her cubs out to the ice to hunt seals. This is the beginning of a two-and-a-half year period where the cubs stick closely by her side.

3. Orangutans’ unbreakable, nurturing bond lasts decades.

If you’ve ever seen a video of a baby orangutan clutching to her mother, you know they are close — sometimes the baby can barely be seen nestled in her mom’s fur. But this bond isn’t just when they are young — as orangutans grow, they learn everything from foraging to nest-building from their mothers. They spend six to seven years with mom, but even after they move out of the nest, female orangutans will often “visit” their mothers until they reach the age of 15 or 16.

Click (HERE) to read the rest of the story and to visit Melissa’s site

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