MOTHER NATURE Mother Nature September 2017 | Page 17

16
Mother Nature Aug /Sep 2017
Black vultures
Good looks are not a prerequisite to a faithful relationship. In fact,
black vulture society makes sure of that. They have been known
to attack other vultures that have been caught philandering!
Researchers even looked at genetic evidence from DNA finger-
printing to study the black vulture's monogamy. A study published
in the journal Behavioral Ecology found that "mated pairs exhibit
long-term pair bonding and year-round association, and share
incubation and nestling feeding duties equally." Couples that parent
together stay together.
Termites
In an ant colony, a queen mates once with the male(s), stores the gametes for
life, and the male ants die shortly after mating. In contrast, several species of
termites can form lifelong pair bonds between a female "queen" and a single
male "king" who literally give birth to their entire kingdom.
Termites tend to stay with the same mates for a long time, reports Nature. They
might stick together for as long as 20 years in some species. If termites do break
up, things can get ugly, says researcher Janet Shellman -Reeve of Cornell
University. She found that relationship splits are often accompanied by physical
violence. Termites may chew off each others' antennae, for example.
Wolves
Often portrayed as tricksters and con artists in popular folklore, wolves
have a family life that is more loyal and pious than most human
relationships. Normally, packs consist of a male, a female and their
offspring, essentially making wolf packs akin to a nuclear family. The
older offspring even help take care of their younger siblings.
Occasionally, a lone wolf will be welcomed into a pack. A pack can
range from just three or four wolves to as many as 20, depending on
the food supply in the area.
Bald eagles
They are the national emblem of the United States, and when it
comes to maintaining relationships, bald eagles soar much higher
than the country they symbolize. Bald eagles typically mate for
life, except in the event of their partner's death or impotency — a
number far lower than America's divorce rate, which now exceeds
50 percent. "Bald eagles stay hitched until death do they part,
often returning year after year to the same nest," Carolyn Shea
wrote in Audubon. "While there, the pair continuously adds to the
structure, so that after many seasons it assumes gargantuan pro-
portions and stands as a symbol of their fidelity."
Courtesy: National Geography, BBC, Science Today.