In the quiet corner of the troop, little baby Alba sits close to her mother, her big innocent eyes filled with longing. She presses her tiny hands against her mom’s belly, searching for comfort and warmth, but more than that, she is desperately looking for milk. Alba is still so young, and her cries echo with the message only her mother can understand: “Mom, I’m hungry, why don’t you give me milk?”
But Alba’s mom seems determined. Weaning time has come, and although her instincts still tell her to care for her baby, she knows it’s time for Alba to start learning independence. The mother pulls herself away gently but firmly, leaving her baby looking confused and helpless. For little Alba, this feels like rejection, and she cannot understand why the milk she once received so freely is now being denied.
Hopeless and with tears in her eyes, Alba tries again, hugging her mother tightly and crying louder. Each small cry carries both sadness and the hunger that gnaws at her tiny body. Other members of the troop glance at her, but only her mother holds the power to soothe that pain. Yet, the mom stays strong, showing tough love that may seem harsh but is part of survival.
For Alba, the moment feels heartbreaking. She cannot yet see that this step, though painful, is shaping her strength for the future. Her mother’s weaning is not cruelty, but guidance toward growing up. Still, in the eyes of the baby, it is nothing but sorrow and hunger. Watching Alba’s struggle makes one feel pity, a reminder of how difficult the journey of growing up can be, even in the animal world.
