All fathers are male, but all males aren’t necessarily fathers. Does the paternal instinct exist? Precisely when can we say that a male becomes a father?  Amongst animals, parental care isn’t only the females’ prerogative: there are all sorts of fathers in nature! Guided by both their genes and their experience, they have proven themselves to be as devoted as mothers. To the point that their paternal streak may well have evolved into their best asset for attracting females. Amongst fish, birds, insects and mammals, many species display proven examples of paternal instinct. Rigorous in its analysis, and entertaining thanks to the diversity of paternal portraits presented, this book includes our own species, too. At a time when society is attentive to the evolution of family mores and structures, when some people refer to nature without truly knowing it, the author gives us food for thought about just how valid comparing humans and animals really is, and shows us that nature’s only true lesson lies in its diversity.

In this study, the author explains very simply what the paternal instinct consists of and how a male turns into a father. Readers will learn why males contribute to parental care in some species but not others, and where human beings are situated in this evolving ecological context. The wide range of fatherhood styles presented – many of which will strike us as bizarre or weird – make this book both educational and fascinating.