Definition
Describing young animals that are born in a helpless state, requiring extensive parental care for survival. They are typically naked, blind, and unable to regulate body temperature at birth.
Etymology
From Latin 'altrix' meaning nurse or nourisher, referring to the extensive care these young require. The term was coined by ornithologists in the 19th century to contrast with precocial development patterns.
Kelly Says
Altricial development allows for larger brain growth after birth - human babies are born with brains only 25% of adult size, while precocial animals like horses are born with nearly full-sized brains! This strategy trades immediate vulnerability for greater learning capacity and behavioral flexibility.
Translations
CACatalà
altricial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
CSČeština
altriciální
AHL-tree-SEE-tsee
DADansk
altricial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
DEDeutsch
altrizial
AHL-tree-zee-ahl
ESEspañol
altricial
ahl-TRIH-see-ahl
FISuomi
altrisiaalinen
AHL-tree-SEE-ah-leh-nee
FRFrançais
altricial
ahl-TRIH-see-ahl
HAHA
altrisial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
HUMagyar
altriciális
AHL-tree-SEE-ah-lees
IDBahasa Indonesia
altrisial
ahl-tree-SEE-ahl
IGIG
altrisial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
ITItaliano
altriciale
ahl-tree-CHAH-leh
MSBahasa Melayu
altrisial
ahl-tree-SEE-ahl
NLNederlands
altriciaal
AHL-tree-see-ahl
NONorsk
altrisial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
PLPolski
altricialny
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl-nee
PTPortuguês
altricial
ahl-TRIH-see-ahl
RORomână
altricial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
SVSvenska
altricial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
SWKiswahili
altrisial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
TLTL
altricial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
TRTürkçe
altrisyal
AHL-tree-see-ahl
VITiếng Việt
altricial
ahl-TRIH-see-ahl
YOYO
altricial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl
ZUZU
altrisial
AHL-tree-SEE-ahl