Red fox father and kit, Washington, USA

© Chase Dekker/Minden Picture

This father won't be outfoxed. Happy Father's Day!

Today's all about the dads. Father's Day is the perfect time to celebrate everything they do for us, how they look after us, help us grow up and tell the best dad jokes. There are also great dads in the animal kingdom, like the foxy father seen in today's image. Female red foxes need to stay in their dens with their young after giving birth, so males spend their time going out to bring her food. When the pups are a little older, their father takes time to play with them, teaching them survival skills they'll need in later life, like hunting and scavenging. The foxes seen here are melanistic, a condition in animals that results in darker colouring.

Father's Day dates back to the early 20th century. After hearing about the first Mother's Day celebrations, Sonora Smart Dodd of the US, the daughter of a widowed Civil War veteran who raised her and her five siblings, decided that fathers needed a similar day of celebration. However, the idea spread, and by the 1970s, Father's Day became officially recognised in many countries, including the UK. So, why not call your dad, take him out for a meal and show him how much he means to you.