Shock list of animals more monogamous than humans
A new study has found which mammals are the most monogamous, and humans are surprisingly far down the list.
A University of Cambridge study has found humans are far from the most monogamous of mammal species.
However, we are a lot better at it than some of our primate cousins.
In an exploration of the influence of monogamy on eusocial societies, Dr Mark Dyble found that the white-handed gibbon had the closest level of monogamy to humans, with a rate of 63.5 per cent.
Our monogamy rate sits at 66 per cent.
“There is a premier league of monogamy, in which humans sit comfortably, while the vast majority of other mammals take a far more promiscuous approach to mating,” said Dr Dyble.
The gibbon, which is also a primate, was the only other top-ranked “monotocous” species, meaning they typically have one offspring each pregnancy, as is most common with humans.
The moustached tamarin also had a similar monogamy ranking at 78 per cent, although they tend to produce twins or triplets.
As for the species that is more monogamous than humans, it seems those with strong social bonds seem to be the most likely to keep monogamous relationships.
However, in many mammals, this means they “live in tight family units of just a breeding pair and their offspring, or in groups where only one female breeds,” Dr. Dyble said.
“Whereas humans live in strong social groups in which multiple females have children.”
One of these ‘more monogamous’ species is the California deer mouse, which the study found to be 100 per cent monogamous.
Found in southern California and central Mexico, this mouse forms pair bonds, with the male helping raise the young.
The deer mouse was followed by the African wild dog, which was listed as having 85 per cent monogamy.
A canine native to sub-Saharan Africa, they’re often mistaken for hyenas, but don’t have the same goofy look about them.
They’re also one of the continent’s most endangered carnivores.
We’re also monogamously similar to meerkats and the Eurasian beaver, but the behaviour of fellow primates often fell well below humans in the rankings.
The Mountain gorilla was listed at 6.2 per cent, while the common chimpanzee was only 4.2 per cent.
The Japanese macaque scored 2.3 per cent, while the Rhesus macaque was only listed at 1 per cent.
However, the study only measured “reproductive monogamy”, which was why Dr Dyble chose to rank the species according to a ‘sibling rate’.
Most mammals link mating to reproduction, whereas in humans, “birth control methods and cultural practices break that link”.
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Originally published as Shock list of animals more monogamous than humans
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