Monogamy is not an exclusive condition of human beings who decide to have it as a way of life in relationships. There are in nature a large number of animals that keep the same pair all their lives or for long periods of time. Although most animal species are not monogamous, it is true that this is common in various animal species, both birds and mammals, or even some amphibians.
If you want to learn more about which animals are monogamous, join us in this Green Ecologist article in which we talk about 12 monogamous animals, what are they and a list with examples and photos.
What are monogamous animals and list of examples
When we speak of monogamous animals, we generally think of species that maintain their mate throughout their lives. And this is partly true, but in nature we must distinguish two types of monogamy, social and sexual. The social monogamous animals, which are what we usually refer to when we simply use the term "monogamous" are those in which the male and female form a stable couple over several breeding seasons or for a long time, copulate and collaborate more or less in the tasks of raising and protecting the offspring. This monogamy is by far the most common, and in it it is common for both the male and the female to have sporadic sexual relations with other members of the group. The sexual monogamyOn the other hand, it is one in which the male and female couple copulate only and exclusively between them, and it is much rarer to see.
There are also many different reasons why evolution has inclined different species to monogamy. In some cases, these are species with offspring that need help for a long time, so male and female need to collaborate to bring them forward. In others, individuals are scattered and unlikely to encounter other members of their species, so monogamy is also very practical. And in some mammals, the male stays with the female to protect the young from the infanticide that is common in some species when there is a change of dominant male in a group.
Although there are animals that tend more towards monogamy, such as birds, of which an estimated 90% are monogamous, it is still a rare condition to see in nature: only 5% of animal species are.
Examples of monogamous animals
- White-tailed craneGrus antigone)
- Gibbon (Hylobatidae)
- Agaporni or love birds (Lovebird)
- Dik dik (Madoqua)
- Killer whale(Orcinus orca)
- Andean condor (Vultur gryphus)
- Field mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)
- Wolf (Canis lupus)
- BeaverBeaver)
- Mimic poison frog (Ranitomeya imitator)
- Seahorse (Hippocampus)
- Penguin (Spheniscidae)
White-tailed crane
The white-tailed crane or Grus antigone It is a species from India and it is one of the most extreme cases of fidelity of the animal world. When one member of a pair of these birds dies, the other falls into depression, falls ill and stops eating until it dies too; rarely does the surviving couple live much longer.
Gibbon
The gibbons (Hylobatidae) They are one of the monogamous primates. About 25% of primate species are believed to be socially monogamous species. In addition, together they collaborate in the breeding of their offspring and on average they usually have 4 offspring.
Lovebird
The lovebird or bird of love bird (Agapornis), It is a tropical bird that forms pairs in its large groups and maintains them for life, sharing all its tasks. So much so that in the couple of these monogamous animalsWhen one dies it is very likely that the other will become ill with grief and will follow him in a short time.
Dik dik
The African antelope dik dik (Madoqua) they form a couple only once and maintain it throughout their life, and also maintain a stable place of residence. The males are smaller than the females and they ignore the young, although they do defend the territory.
Monogamous marine animals: killer whales
The killer whales (Orcinus orca) They are cetaceans with a very complex social structure, in which really strong bonds develop. They are matriarchal and tend to show a social monogamy, in which the couple lasts for life. Learn more about these cetaceans in these other articles on How orcas are classified and Why the orca is in danger of extinction.
Andean condor
When the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) turns six years of life reaches maturity. From this moment on, the Andean condor looks for a partner with whom will share the rest of his life. These raptors owe their monogamy to the slow development of their young, which requires the cooperation of both parents.
Fieldmouse
The field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) are one of the few mouse species that are among the monogamous animals. The female and the male stay together from the moment they form a couple until one of them dies, having as many young as they can at that time.
Wolf
The wolf monogamy It is well known, since these animals live and hunt in pairs from the moment they are formed. The species Canis lupus It is a species of animals with a complex social structure, and although they may have several partners in their lives, they will never have more than one at a time.
Learn more about wolves in these other articles on Why the Iberian wolf is in danger of extinction and Why the Mexican gray wolf is in danger of extinction.
Beaver
The beaver (Beaver) is another rodent that is part of the monogamous animals list. He collaborates with his partner in the work of raising, creating burrows and protecting the young for life. Only when the beaver's partner dies, it will look for a new one in the colony or group in which it lives, as they are very sociable animals between individuals of the same species.
Mimic poison frog
The rpoisonous anne imitator or Ranitomeya imitator is considered the only monogamous amphibian, and inhabits the tropical jungles of South America. This occurs because they live in very small ponds, where it is very difficult to get enough nutrients for the young, so both parents need to collaborate.
Seahorse
The seahorse or Hippocampus is another species that shows a great fidelity, romantic and extreme. In the mating season at dawn the female dedicates a dance to the male, after which both change color and continue with the courtship. When one of the members of the couple dies, the other does not separate from him, even dying of starvation.
Penguins, other monogamous animals for life
Many species of Penguin (Spheniscidae) are hunted again each breeding season after wintering separately, keeping their life partner and collaborating in the protection and feeding of their young. In fact, trying to woo another penguin's female will likely end in a confrontation.
If you want to read more articles similar to Monogamous animals: what are they and list with examples, we recommend that you enter our category of Animal Curiosities.
