Jan 01, 2026 13:00:00Mammal 'monogamy ranking' announced, humans between beavers and white-handed gibbonsSome animals have multiple partners throughout their lives, while others, like modern humans, are primarily monogamous. For example, mountain gorillas had a sibling rate of 6%, while chimpanzees only had a 4% sibling rate. The top-ranked California footed mouse, which maintains a lifelong partnership with its mate, has a sibling rate of 100%. The lowest-ranked breed is the Soay sheep, which lives in Scotland, with a sibling rate of just 0.6%. Humans are often driven to monogamy by religious taboos or other social pressures, so polygamy will emerge quickly if these pressures lose force.

Source: The Guardian January 01, 2026 09:15 UTC