Penguins are monogamous animals. Monogamous relationships in animals

It just so happened that we are accustomed to consider monogamy as a form of human marital relations. But, as it turns out, it is characteristic and certain types animals. There are not so many representatives of monogamous animals - there are too many. Nevertheless, their relationship can cause true admiration, and the fidelity of individuals to each other can only be envied.

But let's, nevertheless, return to the very concept of monogamy. It is nothing but loyalty to the same partner throughout life. At the same time, fidelity can be both sexual and social. Animals can raise offspring together and take care of each other. At the same time, monogamy in some representatives of the animal world can be observed only during the mating season. The rest of the time they live apart.

As a rule, representatives of monogamous relationships do not have a hierarchy. They are equal in rights, have approximately the same age, height and weight. All responsibilities for raising offspring and obtaining food, they divide in half. If one of them dies, the second hard to endure this fact.

Before choosing a partner, animals carefully study each other. The female, for example, closely evaluates the male's living conditions and his physical capabilities, and not only those related to the reproduction of offspring, but also the production of food. The choice is made only if there are no shortcomings.

Some birds choose their partner in a rather original way. They appreciate his paternal qualities, pretending to be chicks and plaintively eating. If the male reacts correctly to this, the choice will be in his favor, if not, the female will turn away from him. She-wolves, monkeys, and spiders check their partner in the same way. In addition, the female can test the strength of her chosen one by provoking fights with other males. The male also chooses a partner, though according to a smaller number of signs.

Swans are considered the most faithful. These birds are completely monogamous. Partners are faithful to each other all their lives and never quarrel. The second place in terms of monogamy is occupied by pigeons. In people, they are associated with love, fidelity, tenderness and romance. One has only to look with what trepidation the dove takes care of the dove and how gently kisses her. And it is impossible to look at his mating dance without tenderness. And, of course, they share all their duties in half. Together they build a nest, raise and feed their offspring together, take turns incubating eggs.

Monogamous relationships exist in vultures. Ignore their gloomy appearance. He is deceitful. These birds are incredibly devoted to each other. A flock of vultures sacredly honors the traditions of monogamy. If someone tries to break them, he will be condemned and doomed to loneliness.

Believe it or not, crows are also monogamous. They are faithful to each other all their lives. If the male dies, then the female remains alone until the end of her days.

Very strong and faithful couples exist in gibbons. As soon as the male finds his chosen one, he loudly serenades her. The newly created couple chooses a territory for themselves and builds their home on it. The offspring, upon reaching puberty, are expelled from the enclave and set off in search of their mate.

The relationship between wolves deserves special attention. The male remains faithful to his chosen one, takes care of her and will never leave her in trouble. He shares the food he gets with the cubs and the female, even if he is very hungry.

Monogamy exists in pygmy African antelopes. The male constantly takes care of the female. The most interesting thing is that he is of little interest to the offspring. He devotes all his attention to his chosen one.

Monogamous relationships exist in foxes, beavers, geese, penguins, albatrosses, spiders, angelfish and some other animals. Their loyalty can only be envied.

The animal world in all its diversity is sometimes so similar to the human one. Loyalty, devotion, frugality are rare in both worlds.

Let's find out which animals are monogamous.

Swans form monogamous couples that exist for many years, and in some cases for a lifetime. Their devotion is so well described in the literature that the image of two swimming swans with their necks curved in the shape of a heart has become an almost universal symbol of love.

In folklore wolves portrayed as crooks and swindlers, but in reality these animals lead a family life that is more faithful and pious than many relationships between people. As a rule, packs consist of males and females and their offspring, which, in essence, makes wolf packs look like a nuclear family.

gibbons- These are the closest relatives of a person who create couples for life. Their unions are unusually strong, and they exhibit low sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females are about the same size. This is proof of the fact that both sexes have approximately the same rights in relationships.

Looking good is not a requirement for a committed relationship. Black vultures confirm this fact for a couple by doing their unassuming-looking deeds.

It is unlikely that you will ever find french bristletooth alone - these creatures live, travel and even hunt in pairs. These fish form monogamous bonds that often last as long as the partners live. Moreover, they act as a team, resolutely defending their territory from neighboring pairs.

Albatross can fly a long distance over the ocean, but despite such long journeys, this bird will always return to the same place - and to the same partner - when it is time to breed. Bonds between males and females are formed over several years and last a lifetime, held together by stupid but loving ritual dances.

If in an ant colony the queen mates with one or more males, she keeps gametes all her life, and the male ant dies shortly after mating. In contrast, male and female individuals termites can create couples for life, literally giving life to an entire kingdom.

Although most rodents are sexually promiscuous, steppe voles break this reputation by forming, as a rule, monogamous couples, which sometimes last a lifetime. Moreover, prairie voles are considered an animal model of monogamy in humans. They snuggle and groom each other, share nesting and raising responsibilities, and generally display a high level of supportive behaviour.

national symbol United States, indeed. Usually, bald eagles create couples for life, except in cases of death or sexual impotence of a partner.

Believe it or not, but beavers- extremely faithful animals. These rodents live, on average, for about 25 years. The main thing in the family is the beaver, so we can talk about a peculiar form of matriarchy. The mating season lasts from mid-January to the end of February.

Only one family lives in beaver huts. Until the female gives birth to offspring, the beaver father provides her with food. The born beavers live in the parental home for up to two years, and then they leave to build their own dwelling.

Being the closest relatives of red wolves, hyena dogs lead a lifestyle very similar to that of a wolf.

The flock is headed by one dominant pair, regularly giving offspring. Moreover, the male and female in this pair are faithful to each other throughout their lives and often after the death of one of the partners lose their dominant position.

barn owls found on the territory of Russia only in the Kaliningrad region, create a couple of times and for life. And, oddly enough, the male takes care of the development of relations.

The courtship period lasts about a year, and during the mating season, the male builds a nest in a place suitable for breeding offspring and actively invites the chosen one to become the mistress of the nest. The final chord is the presentation of specially caught prey as a gift.

While the female incubates the eggs and guards the hatched chicks, the male fully provides them with food - this is his main duty, which he seems to fulfill with pride.

Another unusually faithful and caring lovers of the animal world - penguins. Finding a partner with them is a responsible and far from fast business. But the resulting couple has an amazing mutual understanding.

The male penguin fully shares the care of the offspring with the female: it helps to incubate the egg, brings food if the female cannot leave the cub. Follows the cub while the female feeds. If suddenly the female dies for some reason, the father penguin completely takes over the educational functions.

Wolf loyalty

How many romantic images people attribute to wolves! On the one hand, it is a ferocious predator who alone is not afraid to confront a pack of dogs, who will stand up for himself and will fight to the last. On the other hand, it is the standard of loyalty and decency. No wonder many songs and poems have been written about these noble animals. It is with the wolf that they associate a woman who has achieved heights without losing her moral character and dignity. Also, a mother is compared with a she-wolf, who is ready to cut the throat of any offender for her children. Men who adhere to moral principles, keep their word, are also compared to wolves. The wolf is the opposition to the herd, individuality and fortitude. The wolf is smart, proud and knows his worth. In difficult moments of life, people seek support. And they find it, looking at our smaller brothers - proud singles wildlife, wolves.

Loyalty of wolves in nature

It is noticed that in nature each wolf has its own individual character. One may be modest and quiet, the other bold and daring. Wolves in nature live in families. A wolf pack is a wolf and a she-wolf who lead the pack and their offspring, young and old. At 2-3 years old, wolf cubs reach puberty and leave their flock. Our teenagers should learn from them, and not sit on the neck of their parents. Usually a pack consists of 5-7 wolves, but sometimes it reaches 15 animals. The strongest wolf becomes the leader. In ruling the pack, he is helped by a she-wolf, with whom he created a pair. Leadership skills, strength and responsibility help them make decisions for the whole flock. Discipline and tranquility reign in the pack, only wolves are attacked - loners who have entered their territory. Thus, the flock guards its home.

The wolves who were hurt in the pack become single, and they leave to look for a lonely she-wolf in order to create their own family. Therefore, lonely people who are different from the majority are often called a wolf - a loner.

A pack for wolves is their family and their home. All wolves in the pack are attached to each other, show sympathy for their relatives. By stroking, biting, playing, they show their love. In relation to the leaders of the pack, fawning also occurs, relatives greet the leaders by lying on their stomachs and, as if crawling closer, strive to cuddle or playfully bite their leader. To remove the leader, the young couple must gain the authority of the entire pack and show their strength.

Wolves are monogamous. They choose their mate for life. And such couples live in a flock. Wolves are very attached to cubs. The whole flock takes part in their upbringing. To their own they are very friendly and affectionate. True affection for one's pack, one's family, and a lifelong love for one she-wolf are the main characteristics of a wolf.

When the she-wolf feeds the cubs, then the male feeds her and hunts alone, bringing her the necessary food. Wolf cubs are born blind and helpless. The she-wolf devotes herself entirely to their upbringing. Not only the wolf helps, but also their older cubs. exemplary family. Many people would envy them. The she-wolf is on maternity leave, the wolf unquestioningly takes care of the family's food, does not look to the left, and the children help.

Parable of fidelity

A married girl asked her mother for advice. It turned out such a situation that the girl met another young man. And she is drawn to him. She does not want to cheat on her husband, there was not even such a thought. But these feelings, this temptation haunts her. What to do in such a situation?

A wise mother compared feelings to flowers. In the shower married girl always two flowers grow. One of them is a gentle, quivering, noble flower of love for her husband. She planted it herself. And over time, it will bring its fruits and happiness every day, if you water it in time and take care of it.

Not a single woman in the world will be able to completely eradicate these flowers in the soul, but there is always a choice in which of these flowers to put your soul into, which to take care of. If you water only the flower of love for your husband, then it will be strong enough so that other flowers do not interfere with its growth.

Love lives for three years. Exceptions only prove the rule. Amazingly, the animal world has its own laws. To the envy of people, some species of our smaller brothers still choose monogamy. Here are 12 animals that pair up for life, caring for and supporting each other through difficult situations.

Wolves
The she-wolf is real fighting girlfriend. Without it, a wolf, one might say, as without paws. Despite the image ferocious predators, wolves are very caring and gentle creatures. They are passionate about family life taking care of offspring.

penguins
If for women best friends- diamonds, then a simple pebble is enough for an unpretentious female penguin. In search of an ideal specimen, the male is ready to search the entire coast. Handing over a souvenir to his chosen one, he, as it were, makes her a marriage proposal.

pandas
Everyone has heard about the incredible slowness of pandas. Maybe they're just too lazy to go left? No. Scientists consider these funny bears the most romantic and devoted in the animal kingdom. The faithful head of the family anxiously looks after his companion all his life: before, during and after the long-awaited pregnancy.

lovebird parrots
The very name of these beautiful birds speaks for itself. Both in the wild and at home, they choose their partner for life.

Sea Horses
Seahorses are not like humans. First, the male becomes pregnant in such a pair. Secondly, the female is the first to show sympathy for her partner, attracting his attention with a kind of dance. Then she arranges a race for him. If he turns out to be hardy and strong, you can start a family with him.

barn owls
Barn owls are a real role model. The male takes care of the female whole year. He gives her many different gifts, carefully equips the nest. This is the only way to achieve the location of a capricious girlfriend.

gibbons
Unlike all primates, gibbons do not like packs. They prefer to live in small families away from their relatives. Gibbons are ready to spend more than one year looking for their soulmate. If only it was the same...

Albatrosses
Albatrosses spend most of their lives alone, hovering in the air or on the water. Only during the mating season and during the incubation of eggs, these birds fly to land. It would seem that in such conditions it is possible to breed with anyone. But parting, the albatrosses renew their relationship a year later. They choose a partner once and for all.

whales
Whales are one of the most faithful representatives of the animal world. Having created a family, most of them swim away to give birth to offspring in warm waters. At the same time, the future father does not leave the female even for a minute. And after giving birth, he takes care of her and the baby.

beavers
Beavers are very fond of all sorts of tenderness. The male often caresses the female with his front paws, as if stroking her with his hands. By the way, the beaver is a typical henpecked. The head of a happy family is often a female.

Swans
Swans have long been an unspoken symbol of fidelity and love. They say that only death can separate these wonderful birds.

French bristle teeth
Incredibly, even fish strive for monogamy. For example, this fish is generally difficult to meet alone, without its soulmate. Together they are a team and protect their territory from unexpected guests.

Developments

While monogamy is rare in the animal kingdom, it's not boring at all. What is the male mice of the steppe voles worth. They remain faithful to the female with whom they lost their virginity. The male not only does not even look in the direction of other females, moreover, he is very aggressive towards them and often attacks them. Scientists have traced this form of behavior of potential pests at home, finding in their brain a special combination of hormones responsible for the emergence of aggression towards other females and fidelity to one.

bald eagle

This is the most striking example of fidelity, bald eagles remain faithful friend friend until one of them dies. Recent bird DNA studies have confirmed that monogamy is the norm among these predators.

Wolves

Along with penguins, wolves are characterized by serial monogamy, that is, they can be next to several partners, but not in parallel, but sequentially. She-wolf, as a rule, mates with one male, but in the future she can change him for another if the previous one dies, leaves the pack, or becomes ill to such an extent that she can no longer continue the race.

Warty Clownfish

Among these deep sea fish monogamy goes on weird new level. After mating, the male clown fish sticks to the female's flesh, gradually his mouth is filled with her skin, and their circulatory systems gradually merge into one. After complete union, the male completely degenerates, turning into seminal fluid that fertilizes the female. It often happens that the female "teams" with several males at the same time.

Penguin

After the movie "March of the Penguins", many conservative groups bring monogamy emperor penguins as a role model. While it is true that these flightless Antarctic birds copulate and stay together for a while in order to raise their babies, this usually lasts only one mating season, after which they usually exchange partners.

black vulture

For black vultures, maintaining monogamy is a family obligation and genetics. If an individual of the black vulture is “caught in treason” to its partner, then it will be pursued not only by the partner, but also by other vultures of the flock.

Antelope dik-dik Kirk

Unlike most monogamous mammals, the males of these dwarf African antelopes mate constantly with the same female, but do not take on any parental responsibilities at all.

red salamander

A male red salamander will physically and sexually harass a female if he suspects her of infidelity. But depraved females have become accustomed to this and have become very adept at avoiding the aggression of their socially monogamous partners.

Hammerhead shark

Females of this small shark species tend to mate with several males and store their seminal fluid for later use at the right time, which is why scientists have suggested that the babies of these sharks can have several different fathers at the same time. But subsequent studies have shown that children, nevertheless, have one father. Then experts offered another explanation: female hammerheads are still monogamous, when it comes to procreation, they can mate with several males, but for fertilization they use the sperm of only one male.

orange spiders

Males of many spider species die immediately after mating with a female, but only because the female eats it. The male orange spider also willingly sacrifices himself in the mating process. During mating, the male leaves one of his appendages in the female's body, where it continues to function as a kind of organic chastity belt that prevents her from copulating with other males.