Hats off to all fathers in the animal kingdom!
CGTN

Happy father's day! Speaking of fathers in the animal kingdom, Mufasa, a character in the Disney animated film "The Lion King," is certainly one father figure that pops into mind. With lion pride, the dutiful father defends his territory against intruders and scavengers while the mother takes the major role of raising the cubs and hunting. Here are some touching moments between fathers and their offspring in the animal kingdom. 

A four-month-old white lion cub cuddles with its father Sam inside their enclosure at a zoo in Tbilisi, Georgia on November 30, 2016. /VCG

A four-month-old white lion cub cuddles with its father Sam inside their enclosure at a zoo in Tbilisi, Georgia on November 30, 2016. /VCG

The tiger cub meets its father Yasha for the first time in Tierpark Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg, Germany on October 26, 2017. /VCG

The tiger cub meets its father Yasha for the first time in Tierpark Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg, Germany on October 26, 2017. /VCG

A recently born and unnamed baby female Masai giraffe calf bonds with her father named Phillip at the Los Angeles Zoo in California on November 22, 2016. /VCG

A recently born and unnamed baby female Masai giraffe calf bonds with her father named Phillip at the Los Angeles Zoo in California on November 22, 2016. /VCG

Two cotton-top tamarins are carried by their father in their enclosure in the Berlin Zoo, on March 11, 2014. The twins that were born on February 27, 2014. /VCG

Two cotton-top tamarins are carried by their father in their enclosure in the Berlin Zoo, on March 11, 2014. The twins that were born on February 27, 2014. /VCG

The gibbon couple with their 9-month-old baby Bryn at Anna's Welsh Zoo in UK. /VCG

The gibbon couple with their 9-month-old baby Bryn at Anna's Welsh Zoo in UK. /VCG

A 4-week-old emperor tamarin with dad Sunny at Twycross Zoo in UK. /VCG

A 4-week-old emperor tamarin with dad Sunny at Twycross Zoo in UK. /VCG

Two newborn capybaras take a walk with their father at Eskisehir Zoo on December 12, 2017 in Eskisehir, Turkey. /VCG

Two newborn capybaras take a walk with their father at Eskisehir Zoo on December 12, 2017 in Eskisehir, Turkey. /VCG

This six-week-old owlet was so happy to see its dad return with food it danced with joy. /VCG

This six-week-old owlet was so happy to see its dad return with food it danced with joy. /VCG

A family of swans take an outing on to a small lake as the young cygnets hitch a ride on their father's back. /VCG

A family of swans take an outing on to a small lake as the young cygnets hitch a ride on their father's back. /VCG

A meerkat and his offspring at Thuringian Zoo in Germany. /VCG

A meerkat and his offspring at Thuringian Zoo in Germany. /VCG

(All photos via VCG.)

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