Simon's cat

Pair : Cheetahs

Photograph by Mauro Mozzarelli, My Shot

Most wild cheetahs are found in eastern and southwestern Africa. Perhaps only 12,000 of these big cats remain, and those are under pressure as the wide-open grasslands they favor are disappearing at the hands of human settlers.

Pair : Polar Bear Cubs

Photograph by Mauro Mozzarelli, My Shot

These two polar bear cubs are playing close to our Tundra Buggy in Canada's Wapusk National Park.

Pair : Raccoons

Photograph by Terri Moore, My Shot

We found these two raccoons in our backyard, no mom around. They both seemed to look kind of curious, and kind of nervous. My daughter said she likes this picture because the outline of their bodies makes the outline of a heart.

Pair : Sea Lions

Photograph by Joanne Lembeck, My Shot

A sea lion gives what appears to be a kiss to her newborn in the Galápagos Islands.

Pair : Owls

Photograph by Irawan Subingar, My Shot

These two owlets are known as Sunda scops (Otus lempiji). They had just hatched from their eggs a few weeks before this photo was taken.

Pair : Alpacas

Photograph by Joseph Rescinito, My Shot

A baby alpaca displays some affection with her mother.

Mother's Love : Bottlenose Dolphin and Calf

Photograph by Augusto Stanzani/ardea.com

A mother dolphin may whistle to her calf almost continuously for several days after giving birth. This acoustic imprinting helps the calf learn to identify its mother.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

Mother's Love : Mare and Foal

Photograph by John Daniels/ardea.com

A mare chooses the company her newborn keeps. Older siblings and trusted humans may approach, but she wards off all others.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

Mother's Love : Giraffe and Calf

Photograph by Craig W. Walsh/iStockphoto.com

Giraffe mothers give birth on their feet—and their newborns drop six feet to the ground, headfirst. The fall actually helps them take first breaths.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

Mother's Love : Japanese Macaque and Infant

Photograph by Tim Laman

Japanese macaques can convey ideas to one another and pass skills down, generation to generation. The macaques, also called snow monkeys, have humanlike faces that can show a lot of emotion. They live in northern Japan, where it gets very cold, so they grow heavy fur coats in the winter to keep them warm.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

Mother's Love : Otter and Pup

Photograph by Lynn M. Stone

Newborn sea otters can float, but they can't swim. Mothers balance them on their stomachs.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

Mother's Love : Dog and Puppies

Photograph by Stanislav Duben/Shutterstock

Mother dogs lick their newborn pups clean, biting off each umbilical cord—an essential step in the bonding process.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

Mother's Love :Pig and Piglet

Photograph by Craig W. Walsh/iStockphoto.com

A dominant mother pig typically gives birth to more male piglets than subordinate sows.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

other's Love :Cat and Kittens

 

Photograph by Orphan Cam/Shutterstock

Born blind and deaf, kittens depend on their mother's sense of sight and hearing, navigating the world by touch, taste, and smell for the first three weeks of life.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

other's Love :Duck and Ducklings

 

Photograph by lozan365/iStockphoto.com

A duck and her ducklings walk along a riverbank. Ducklings believe that the first thing they see is their mother.
Mother's Love, the first in a new, affordable line of gift books from National Geographic, is a great way to remind ourselves of the universal power of a mother's love.

True Love: Surprising Photos of Animal Affection : Puppy Love

Photograph by Adam Harnett/Carters News Agency

Nettle, a mother dog, never worried when she needed a break from her pups. A chicken named Mabel was happy to take over as surrogate mom. Brought to live inside a farmhouse in England after a horse stepped on her foot, Mabel would fluff up her feathers, plop down on top of her brood of pups, and tuck them under her body as if they were chicks.

True Love: Surprising Photos of Animal Affection : Real Romantics

Photograph by Klein-Hubert/Kimball Stock

During courtship, mature stallions and mares sniff, nuzzle, nicker, and even nip at each other.

True Love: Surprising Photos of Animal Affection : Aunt Rosie

Photograph by Bill Garvin, courtesy Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

Affectionately called Aunt Rosie (pictured on the left) by keepers at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Florida, this manatee has taken more than 20 young ones under her flipper, whether they were orphans or simply in need of a babysitter.

True Love: Surprising Photos of Animal Affection : Sibling Love

Photograph by Terri Moore, My Shot

Spending all their time together, raccoon kits never leave the den during the first two months of their lives.