Where do Humans Rank in The Monogamy League Table?
- Editor OGN Daily
- 14 hours ago
- 2 min read
Humans are a bit like meerkats when it comes to pairing up, according to a study that examined the monogamous lifestyles of different species.
In our romantic life, we more closely resemble these social, close-knit mongooses than we do our primate cousins, according to a new 'league table' of monogamy. At 66 percent monogamous, humans score surprisingly highly, far above wildly promiscuous chimps and gorillas - and on a par with meerkats.
This insight is all thanks to Dr Mark Dyble at the University of Cambridge. He examined several human populations, calculating the proportions of full siblings - where individuals share the same mother and father - compared with half-siblings, individuals who share either a mother or a father, but not both. Similar data was compiled for more than 30 social monogamous and other mammals.
"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," he said.
Humans have a monogamy rating of 66 percent full siblings, ahead of meerkats (60) but behind beavers (73). Meanwhile, Dr Dayble notes that our evolutionary cousins fall at the bottom of the table - with mountain gorillas at 6 percent rating, while chimpanzees come in at just 4 percent (alongside the dolphin).
Fortunately, the blushes of our promiscuous cousins are saved by Scotland's Soay sheep - females of this species mate with multiple males, producing a lowly 0.6 percent of full siblings. However, the prize for being the most monogamous species goes to the Californian mouse - rodents that form inseparable, lifelong bonds - coming in at an impressive 100 percent.
In the animal world, pairing up has its benefits, which may be why it has evolved independently in multiple species, including humans. Experts have proposed various perks to so-called social monogamy, where mates match up for at least a breeding season to care for their young and see off rivals.