Thecouplethatwalk
togetherstaystogether– or
at leastthat’sthecasewith
theAustralianshingleback
skink,a typeof lizard.The
femalesdon’trushinto
relationships– themale
hasto followheraround
forupto a coupleof months
beforetheymate.Butoncethey
bond,theywillseekeachother
outeverybreedingseason,never
strayingmorethana footfromtheirpartner’sside.When a skink
dies,itspartnerstaysbythe dead
bodyfora fewdays,nudging it
in thehopeof revivingit – or
maybethey’resimplygrieving.ADORABLE
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Veryfewmammalsaresocially
monogamous– meaning that
theywillmateandraise offspring
together– butEuropean beavers
areproudlyintheminority.
Devotedtooneanother, and
theirchildren,theyboth take
anactiveroleinbringing up the
kids.Breedingfromthe age of
two,theyproducea litter of two
tothreeyoungkitsevery year.
MumandDadareveryterritorial
andworkjustashardontheir
relationshipsastheirdams and
lodges– keepingtheirfamilies safe
frompredators.NorthAmericanbeavers
partneruptoo,thoughtendtobeless faithful.Puffins: Partners for life
Shingleback Skinks:
A special bond
Grey Wolves: European Beavers:^ Baby love
Team players
Nothing says love like this
gorgeous pair of Atlantic puffins
rubbing beaks. Known as
billing, this form of ‘puffin
kissing’ helps a male and female
bond. Tender and loyal, these
cute birds do not tend to breed
until they are between three
and six years old, and once
they do, they stick with their
partner. A couple will rarely
lay more than one egg a year
and both parents take turns
incubating the egg – often up
to 30 hours at a time. Now
that’s commitment!They may have a reputation as
merciless hunters, but wolves are
also caring, intelligent and loyal- and once a male and female
bond, they’re in it for the long haul.
Along with their wolf pups, they
create a pack similar to a nuclear
family unit, and will do everything
together to protect their little ones.