Spring has Sprung: Time for Baby Cuteness!

It’s spring! And spring is the best. Here’s why: flowers, Easter eggs and baby animals. Spring is about new beginnings, change and growth. We share the earth with a wide variety of animal species, each of which brings something special to the diversity of the planet.

In a lot of ways spring is the perfect time for babies to be born. Organisms generally time especially stressing events of reproduction to occur in sync with increases in food availability. A lot of animals are seasonal breeders and successfully mate only during certain times of the year. These times of year allow for the optimization of survival of young due to factors such as ambient temperature, food and water availability, and changes in the predation behaviors of other species. Mother mammals usually need better, richer food to produce quality milk for their babies to nurse. For grazing animals like cattle, sheep, and horses, the fresh green grass and other plants on pasture in spring and early summer are rich in nutrients. These plants can have a higher percentage of protein and ‘total digestible nutrients’. This can lead to better milk production for the babies.

Spring is also a good time for babies to be born because the days become longer and temperatures rise. With the warmer weather it is easier for the baby to survive. There is less chance of harsh weather. Just like humans, animals need to be protected from severe weather. Because spring is such a good time of year for babies, many animals evolved to accommodate these natural cycles. Isn't this natural mechanism so clever? Wild animals are much like ours able to recognize self, plan, communicate and solve problems.