Emperor Penguin Chick on Adult’s Feet, Snow Hill Island, Antarctica © Radius Images / Offset

Mother and child Manatees underwater © Jimmy White / Offset

A polar bear cub rests on her mother’s legs at Wapusk National Park © Richard Wear / Design Pics / Offset

There are few sights as miraculous as that of a baby animal learning the ropes from his mom- and in some cases, his dad. According to evolutionary biologists, humans are genetically hardwired to respond to infants, even when those little ones are of another species. We’re made to register cuteness, to feel an urge to protect and nurture small creatures, so it’s no wonder that photos of baby animals can inspire even the most curmudgeonly person to crack a smile.

For our latest Offset group show, we pulled together some of the most heart wrenchingly adorable portraits of baby animals living both in the wild and in domestic environments. From the father penguin, who watches over his egg while his mate finds food, to the hibernating grizzly mother, who can deliver her baby in her sleep, these animal kingdom parents have much to celebrate. When baby zebras are born, their stripes are brown and white; infant polar bears are born only with a thin downy layer of fur. Many of these animals— including polar bears, several species of penguin, manatees, and grizzly bears—are classified as endangered or vulnerable species, meaning that each and every youngster entering the world is a beautiful triumph.

Crowned Lemur baby © Pete Oxford / Danita Delimont / Offset

A mother and baby zebra in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya © Cavan Images / Offset

Striped Skunk carrying young, Minnesota, USA © Radius Images / Offset

Groundhog with young, Minnesota, USA © Radius Images / Offset

Donkey with foal © Galeries / Offset

Lion-tailed macaque and baby © Sue Demetriou / Offset

Great gray owls in nest in Idaho © Michael S. Quinton / National Geographic / Offset

Ring-tailed Lemur mother and baby © Kevin Schafer / Danita Delimont / Offset

Sheep with her baby © Lorenzo Pesce / Offset

Polar bear mother with twin cubs, Wapusk National Park, Churchill, Hudson Bay, Manitoba, Canada © Robert Harding World Imagery / Offset

A grizzly bear cub stands directly on top of mom’s back © Barrett Hedges / National Geographic / Offset

Calf and a cow in a field © John Lee / Offset

A horse and calf standing beside a stone wall at the water’s edge © Peter Zoeller / Design Pics / Offset

Red fox cubs suckling their mother on a forest road © Philippe Henry / Design Pics / Offset

Pig feeding piglets © Peter Le / Offset

Mother cow with calf in pasture © Johnér / Offset

All photos featured in this post can be found on Offset, a new curated collection of high-end commercial and editorial photography and illustration from award-winning artists around the world. Offset is a category partner on Feature Shoot.

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