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17m ago

Humans Rank Near Top of Mammal Monogamy Scale in Cambridge DNA Study

The study estimates monogamy from full‑ versus half‑sibling rates using modern records alongside ancient DNA, capturing parentage patterns rather than sexual behaviour.

Beavers were found to be slightly more monogamous than humans.
Meerkats, as well as humans, are part of what researchers called a "premier league" of monogamy.
Some may be disappointed that we lost out to beavers in the monogamy league table
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Overview

  • Researchers report an average human monogamy rating of about 66%, placing people between beavers (~72–73%) and meerkats (60%) and seventh among 11 socially monogamous species.
  • The analysis, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, applies a sibling‑proportion model to data from over 100 human populations spanning up to ~7,000 years and roughly 35 mammal species.
  • Humans showed a clear separation from non‑monogamous mammals: even the lowest human full‑sibling proportion (26%) exceeded the highest recorded for non‑monogamous species (22%).
  • Extremes in the ranking include the California deermouse at 100% full siblings and Scotland’s Soay sheep at ~0.6%, with chimpanzees at ~4% and mountain gorillas at ~6%.
  • Authors stress the metric reflects reproductive parentage rather than all sexual activity, noting cultural practices and contraception can decouple mating from reproduction and produce wide variation.