How animals show their love
Love is in the air. And in the water, forest and desert, too. It’s fundamental to our very existence, transcending species and habitats.
This Valentine’s Day, let’s admire how animals who mate for life, from busy beavers to serene swans, say, “I love you.” In many ways, they’re just like us.
Eurasian beavers primarily eat nutritionally deficient bark, so they need a lot of it in order to survive. A lifelong pair shares the responsibilities of bringing in branches, maintaining their abode and raising their babies. Dam, that’s impressive!
Family comes first for gray wolves, whose packs typically include a momand a dad (the alpha couple) and their offspring. As part of a tight-knit family, each member accepts their designated role within the group and pitches in around the den, ensuring the safety and stability of the pack.
Gibbons are the only species closely related to humans who maintain lasting, monogamous relationships. A pair proclaims their love (and defends their territory) from the treetops, singing in perfect harmony. Take note: If you’re looking for a Valentine’s Day idea that’s a bit more unique than vegan chocolate and flowers, make like a gibbon and serenade your sweetheart (with your feet on the ground, of course).
Crows are known for their remarkable intelligence, and they’re devoted family birds who stick to their special someone like velcrow. Whenever you see a small group of them foraging for food, you’re observing a family: a mom and a dad, that year’s babies and any older siblings who haven’t yet established their own territories. Life is just better when shared with your soulmate.
Wood-feeding cockroach couples devour each other’s wings after mating, an example of nuptial feeding that keeps them faithful for life. For these little beings, once a mate has swallowed the other’s wings, the best option for survival is staying in andmaking babies. No wonder cockroaches have been around for over 300 million years.
Shingleback lizards are an anomaly. These scaly monogamists form bonds that are uncommon in the world of lizards. Partners remain together for life and beyond. When one dies, the othermay linger for several days, tenderly nudging their dear departed.
Sandhill cranes boogie down when seeking a partner. As part of their courting ritual, they perform elaborate dances, kind of like Ren Mccormack in “Footloose.” Though the scene in their nests may look a little different fromthe one at a high school prom, once they dance their way into each other’s hearts, they remain there for life.
Once a coyotemeets “the one,” they become partners for life. Coyote mothers prefer to be alone while giving birth and sometimes stay in their den formore than a week with their pups. Dad faithfully guards the den, protecting the family. Couples separate only at death, breathing new life into the old expression “’Til death do us part.”
With their curving necks interlaced to form a beautiful heart, mute swans are a traditional symbol of devotion. These birds exhibit a tremendous level of commitment and loyalty to each another, and their “divorce” rate, around 5%, ismuch lower than that of humans. They’ve even been known to die of a broken heart when their partner passes away.
These fiercely loyal couples form lasting and loving relationships, sing and dance together, establish families and care for their offspring. Their lives are just as complex as our own—and they deserve to be treated with compassion and respect.