Love and its impact on human relationships have long formed the foundations of storytelling. Whether it be the epic love stories of literature like Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice or Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, or on the silver screen, we so often look for representations of romance solely in the confines of the human world. However, the very same depths of emotion and devotion are mirrored in the animal kingdom, with the elaborate courtship rituals of swans and the undying loyalty of prairie voles serving as a potent reminder of the universal nature of love.
The very same depths of emotion and devotion are mirrored in the animal kingdom
Many of us can relate to the tribulations of online dating, spending what feels like endless hours absent-mindedly swiping certainly can take the romance out of courtship! However, for swans the process of wooing their potential companion through intricate rituals is crucial to test their compatibility and sustainability of their future partnership.
Communication is also a key feature of many of humanity’s greatest love stories, and swans have proven that nature is no different with their use of audible elements in the courtship ritual of billing to help demonstrate trust and affection in their relationship. Much like the symbolic gestures of giving chocolates or flowers to your partner this Valentines day, swans similarly show their readiness to embark on the challenges of life together by jointly building the foundations of their own and future generations’ home through the collaborative creation of their nest. These rituals raise the question, are the great love stories of nature so separate from our own?
The binding nature of love is portrayed through the empathy and faithfulness in the bond between prairie voles, with studies proving that they make up part of the minority of mammals (just around 3%!) that remain monogamous. The depth of their devotion is rarely exhibited in other great romances in the animal kingdom, making these tiny creatures some of nature’s strongest lovers.
Their empathy for each other and need for social connection shines through, as they share emotions of stress together and even console each other through touch, reminding us of the desire they share with humans for deep emotional connection in partnerships. Unfortunately, this love can be addictive, with one study finding that specific pairs of males and females show up in traps together, drawing images of the tragic whirlwind romance of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, highlighting how love can often be blinding and the depths to which it can go.
