A new Cambridge University study has ranked humans 7th out of 35 mammal species for monogamy, placing us above meerkats and gibbons — yet still behind Eurasian beavers.
Researchers compared genetic data to calculate how often siblings share both parents, finding humans show 66% full siblings. Beavers scored 72%, while meerkats had 60%. At the bottom of the list were chimpanzees, dolphins and mountain gorillas, which show highly promiscuous mating behaviour.
Although human monogamy varies across cultures and history, the results suggest we fall firmly within the “monogamous mammals” category — even if experts note social and religious pressures also help maintain pair bonds.
In short, humans are among the most monogamous mammals — just not quite the beaver gold standard.
