10 Animals That Partner Up for Life

Perhaps humans are not the only species in the Animal Kingdom that will be celebrating Valentine’s Day this weekend. That is because there are various types of wildlife that find a mate and stick with them forever, or at least until death do them part. That’s right; there are 10 known species on the planet that are monogamous mates.

Continue reading to learn which ones, and then pass these interesting and fun facts along to your special Valentine this year!

Happy Valentines Day!
Happy Valentines Day!

These Animals Team Up and Stick Together Forever:

French Angelfish

Not only do French Angelfish choose a mate and stay with them for life, together as a team they will fight to the death defending their territory against other Angelfish couples. This makes them a truly special species of fish.

Bald Eagles

Sure, Bald Eagles are known to be loners during winters and migration seasons, but they are actually a species that mates for life. Eagle will select their mate, and then together, they will build a permanent nest for roosting and raising their young; just like a husband and wife builds a home together for their family! In the case that a mate dies, a Bald Eagle will actually select a new mate before breeding season. Many monogamous species exhibit this same behavior.

Barn Owls

Barn owls are often spotted in twos because they commonly mate for life. Once an owl chooses their mate, the male will care for the female by supplying her with food so that she may lay her eggs. Now that is a new level of marital bliss!

Albatrosses

Albatrosses are unique birds in their own right, but adding on the fact that they are also a monogamous species puts them at the top of the interesting list. Just like Bald Eagles, Albatrosses will find a new mate if theirs dies, otherwise, they stay with the same partner, in the same nest, for life. Now since these birds can live as long as 50 years, they are truly a committed pair.

Penguins

Penguins are widely-known as being a monogamous species, however, not all penguins practice monogamy. For example, African and Magellanic, Gentoo, and Royal penguins are entirely monogamous for life. But the famous Emperor Penguin is somewhat monogamous, only keeping a mate for one single season, then choosing a new one the next season. This is referred to as serial monogamy.  

Mute Swans

Not all swan species mate for life, but Mute Swans do. And just like many other monogamous species, they will find a new mate if theirs dies. Interestingly though, if a male swan finds a younger female, they remain on his territory; but if he finds an older female, they stay on hers. Even more interesting is the fact that female widows will always go for a younger mate!

Beavers

Not only do beavers mate for life, both parents actively raise their young together. How sweet and inspiring is that! Furthermore, beaver families usually average around 6 or more individuals, so they love big families!

Gibbons

The nearest relative to us on this list are gibbons. They mate for life, unless one partner dies, in which case, they will find a new partner. Their family groups are small but very stable, and typically raise their young for up to 7 years, until their young reach sexual maturity. Just like French Angelfish, these couples are very territorial and will defend their pack by singing morning songs.

Wolves

Not only do wolves live in packs, they also mate for life! They stick together and raise their young until they reach sexual maturity, usually around 2 or 3 years old.

Shingleback Skinks

The Shingleback Skink is a lizard; a heavily armored lizard with a blue tongue to be exact. Perhaps these two elusive qualities help them attract their life mates! Native to western and southern Australia, these lizards are known to stay with the same mate for up to 20 years or more.

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