parental care Any behaviour pattern in which a parent invests time or energy in feeding and protecting its offspring. Parental care is a form of altruism since this type of behaviour involves increasing the fitness of the offspring at the expense of the parents. The degree of parental care differs widely. For example, most species of fish show little or no parental care while humans and many other mammals care for their offspring until they reach adolescence.

parental care All activities that are directed by an animal towards the protection and maintenance of its own offspring or those of a near relative.

parental care All activities that are directed by an animal towards the protection and maintenance of its own offspring or those of a near relative.