12 Animals That Lay Eggs, Some Surprised Even Us

Animals reproduce in a variety of fascinating ways. Some species, including humans and many other mammals, give birth to live young that develop inside the mother’s body. Others reproduce through less familiar methods, such as budding, where a new organism grows from part of the original animal before eventually separating. Many animals, however, rely on eggs to bring the next generation into the world. In these species, eggs protect and nourish the developing young until they are ready to hatch, a process seen in animals ranging from birds and reptiles to insects and fish.