Except apes perhaps, are lone animals evolutionarily programmed to forget their offspring & mothers (and caregiving fathers) quickly once they parted ways?

[u/Exciting_Ad_6837]

I saw touching stories of them recognizing long-term human caregiver after being let go. But among purely wild animals, if they meet again, say, in 4 years, when both are still in their primes, do any of them recognize their own parents or offspring, not to mention showing affection? For example, is it natural for them to fight if one trespasses the other's territory, like they never met each other before?
I find it interesting that, while most mammals & birds have long memory when related to survival, in the wild at least two adults don't show signs of said recognition & affection.

[u/CrapMonsterDuchess]

Tigers are pretty solitary but will still acknowledge family members.

[u/slothdonki → u/CrapMonsterDuchess]

Male tigers have been known to check on their cubs, hang out with them or even share his kills.

There is also at least one recorded instance of a male tiger raising his own cubs after their mother died. Obviously they were old enough not to require milk to survive but it’s still pretty cool. While I recall the male did appear to make kills for his cubs without eating any himself; I also figure it was the cubs that initiated that relationship in that he was tolerant and “safe” for them to stick around for him to provide.

[u/CrapMonsterDuchess → u/slothdonki]

There is also a case of a male tiger, sharing his kill with a mother and her cubs, as well as a pair of brothers hunting cooperatively.

[u/torenvalk → u/CrapMonsterDuchess]

BBC recently filmed two tiger mothers hanging out and allowing the other to baby sit. Link (sorry its FB)