Swans
French angelfish
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Mother Nature Aug / Sep 2017
Lifelong pair bonds
Humans like to think of themselves as a faithful species , but when it comes to true fidelity , many other animals offer better examples of how to keep a relationship together . Although monogamy and lifelong pair bonds are generally rare in the animal kingdom , there are some animals loyal to their partners which goes to prove that animals are better off .
Gibbons
Gibbons are the nearest relatives to humans that mate for life . They are monogamous , a rare trait for primates , points out National Geographic . They form extremely strong pair bonds and exhibit low sexual dimorphism , which means that males and females of the species are of roughly equal size , a testament to the fact that both sexes are on relatively equal footing . The coupled male and female will spend time grooming each other and ( literally ) hanging out together in the trees . But more recent research has found that these unions are not quite as uncomplicated as once thought . With mates occasionally philandering , and even sometimes dumping a mate , the gibbon mating culture has started to look perhaps a little bit more like humans .
Swans
French angelfish
You ' re unlikely to ever find a French angelfish alone . These creatures live , travel and even hunt in pairs . The fish form monogamous bonds that often last as long as both individuals are alive . In fact , they act as a team to vigorously defend their territory against neighboring pairs . Researchers have also observed pairs of these patterned fish traveling to the water ’ s surface to release their eggs and sperm together .
Swans form monogamous pair bonds that last for many years , and in some cases these bonds can last for life . Their loyalty to their mates is so storied that the image of two swans swimming with their necks entwined in the shape of a heart has become a nearly universal symbol of love . Why birds mate for life isn ' t as romantic as it first appears , though . Considering the time needed to migrate , establish territories , incubation , and raising their young , spending extra time to attract a mate would minimize reproductive time . One of the benefits of mating for life is that the swan duo learns from their successes and failures each time they raise cygnets .