Humans Closely Tied to Beavers in Monogamy Rankings, Study Finds

Humans join beavers and meerkats in an elite 'monogamy league,' while chimps and gorillas lag far behind in a groundbreaking comparative study.

The research, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences, analyzed 94 human societies and genetic data from archaeological sites to estimate monogamy levels through sibling ratios—a proxy for reproductive monogamy.

The study found humans have a 66% full sibling rate, placing them seventh overall. This rate aligns with beavers (73%) and meerkats (60%), while chimpanzees and mountain gorillas show rates of 4% and 6%, respectively.

Dr. Mark Dyble (University of Cambridge) noted: '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.'

Researchers emphasize that sibling ratios reflect reproductive patterns rather than sexual behavior. Human cultural practices like birth control decouple mating from reproduction, complicating direct comparisons with species like the California deermouse (100%) and African wild dogs (85%).

The study highlights humans' evolutionary shift from non-monogamous ancestors as 'highly unusual among mammals.'

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