This was for the "Mother" GA game jam. Here is the script if you didn't understand some things I said!: Think your mom was tough? Wait ‘til you meet these moms from the animal kingdom… Hi again, and welcome to another podcast! I’m back again, because why not? I mean, it’s fun (for me at least). And why not turn a meant-to-be-wholesome game jam theme into a thriller series? So yeah, the worst mothers in nature. Number 1: Harp Seals These little guys may seem cute, but they hide a sad childhood behind that face. In the first 2 weeks of their lives, they eat almost nothing. And after those 2 weeks, they stop eating. The mother’s out. Looking for another seal. The 14-day-old seal is left stranded on the ice, alone for the next month and a half, and vulnerable to predators. The babies will also lose half of their body weight. Alas, when they are 8 weeks old, they will start swimming and live a normal seal life. Number 2: Cuckoos No wonder a cuckoo is the villain in one of the most popular comic book series. Because cuckoos trick birds into taking care of their young, Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds’ nests. Unfortunately for her victims, the cuckoo chick is hardly a grateful adoptee. Instead, the chick hatches earlier and grows faster than the other bird’s real brood, forcing the smaller chicks out of the nest to die. Number 3: House Sparrows While most women would be furious if their husband cheated on them, few would choose to take it out on any offspring that resulted from the infidelty- indelt- infelt- INFIDELITY. Jesus. But that’s just what the house sparrow does. She looks for the nests of other females that have mated with her mate and kills the chicks. This way, her baby’s father will spend their time fathering the child. Just imagine finding out your mom killed your half-brother so your dad would spend more time with you. Number 4: Pandas It’s hard to think anything negative about these adorably cuddly critters, but the reality is that they’re pretty negligent parents. Even though pandas often have twins, they rarely care for more than one cub. The mom will choose the weaker of the two babies and start ignoring him or her in favor of the stronger sibling. And that is just about the story of anybody with a sibling’s life. Number 5: Black Bears On the opposite end of the spectrum, the black bear generally has two or three cubs at a time. Unfortunately, when she only has one cub, the mother will often abandon it, deciding that raising only one baby just isn’t worth her effort. The conclusion here is that nature isn’t always nurturing, and some animal moms are more meh than maternal. Whether it’s abandoning, outsourcing, or straight-up choosing favorites, these creatures prove that motherhood in the wild can be cold, calculated, and occasionally cruel. And it surprisingly matches up with human mothers. But hey, it makes for a great thriller, right? Thanks for tuning in, and remember: next time you feel like your mom’s being tough on you… At least she didn’t leave you on an iceberg. Catch you next time! Goodbye!
