Which statement is true about mammals leaving their young unattended?

Which statement is true about mammals leaving their young unattended?

• A. It is natural for some mammals to leave their young unattended for long periods and only return to feed them.
• B. No mammal ever leaves young unattended.
• C. All mammals leave young unattended only in winter.
• D. This behavior only occurs in captivity.

Answer: (A)

Parental care among mammals varies by species, and leaving the young unattended for extended periods is a normal, adaptive strategy for some animals. In these species, the mother may forage away from the nest or hidden location, returning periodically to nurse and check on the youngsters. A common example is white-tailed deer fawns, which rest hidden in tall vegetation while the doe forages nearby and then returns to nurse. This pattern shows that being left unattended does not indicate neglect; it’s part of how some mammals manage energy and predation risk. That’s why this statement is the true one: it reflects that natural variation across species, with some mothers leaving their young unattended for long stretches and only coming back to feed. The other options misstate mammal behavior: some mammals do leave young unattended; the behavior isn’t limited to winter or to captivity.

Parental care among mammals varies by species, and leaving the young unattended for extended periods is a normal, adaptive strategy for some animals. In these species, the mother may forage away from the nest or hidden location, returning periodically to nurse and check on the youngsters. A common example is white-tailed deer fawns, which rest hidden in tall vegetation while the doe forages nearby and then returns to nurse. This pattern shows that being left unattended does not indicate neglect; it’s part of how some mammals manage energy and predation risk.

That’s why this statement is the true one: it reflects that natural variation across species, with some mothers leaving their young unattended for long stretches and only coming back to feed. The other options misstate mammal behavior: some mammals do leave young unattended; the behavior isn’t limited to winter or to captivity.