There's no denying that mothers are remarkable. And in the ocean, some marine mothers go one step further than the rest. Dive below the surface of the ocean and you'll discover some wonderful - and downright whacky - maternal instincts. From sacrificial brooding periods to life-long mummy's boys, read on to discover some bizarre (and beautiful) behaviours from the big blue...
Sea otters
Aside from being adorable, sea otters are seriously dedicated mothers. Puzzlingly, pups can't swim until they're three to four months old. The solution? Balance on their mother's belly in the water, keeping safe and dry. When foraging, the mothers smartly wrap their pups in kelp to keep them from floating away. This technique is also used to anchor themselves when sleeping, as after all, marine mothers deserve a break too.
Octopuses
The top spot on our list of the best marine mothers goes to the octopus, which gives its life for its young's survival. After laying their eggs, mothers fiercely defend their clutch from would-be predators, whether wafting oxygenating currents over them or skipping mealtimes, until they eventually waste away. One octopus in Monterey Bay even guarded her eggs for 53 months - more than four times an octopus' typical lifespan - in the longest-ever recorded brooding period. Talk about maternal sacrifice.
Grey whales
We're firm believers in the power of a bonding holiday (who doesn't love a parent and child adventure?), but grey whales take these to the extreme. After giving birth, mothers will bring their calves along for the ride during their migration from Baja California in Mexico to the Arctic. This two-to-three-month journey can be challenging, but by the time they reach the Arctic in late spring, the calves have grown in strength and are ready to feed on their own. Marine mothers always know best…
Sea turtles
Sea turtles never meet their young (as mothers head back into the sea after laying their eggs), but they go all out to give them the best start in life. Mothers travel thousands of miles to nest on the very same beach where they were born, trusting that if it ensured their survival, it will do the same for their hatchlings. But how do they know where to go? Studies suggest they use Earth's magnetic field as a guide to get back home, along with other sensory clues like smell and currents.
Dolphins
Dolphins are known for their superb social skills, curiosity and agility. But who teaches them these impressive abilities? Their mothers, of course. While the fathers make a swim for it right after the calf is born, the mothers stick by their side for three to six years, teaching them how to hunt and avoid predators. They even pass down complex skills, such as using sponges to shield their snouts when foraging, introducing them to their pod and nurturing their famous social skills. Who needs men?
Orcas
Despite their killer whale reputation, orcas are some of the ocean's most maternal animals. In the Salish Sea (in between southwestern Canada and the northwestern U.S.), southern resident orcas live in close-knit, matrilineal pods led by females. These fiercely protective females teach their young how to hunt, navigate and communicate. Male orcas are even the ocean's ultimate mummy's boys, sticking by their mothers' sides and relying on them for food well into adulthood (some 30-odd years).
