Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Till Death Do Us Part

What do the grey wolves and doves have in common?

They mate for life.

Traditionally, doves are part of wedding ceremonies. Doves mate for life and show a willingness to work hard together. The couple work together to build their nest. When the mother lays the eggs, both the father and mother keep the eggs warm. When the young chicks are born, both doves actively care for and tend to the new family members.

What other animals are known for their monogamy? Most of the bird species pair, mate and raise chicks together -- swans, Canadian geese, American bald eagle, barn owls, pigeons, cranes and penguins, to name a few. Seahorses, the giant otter of South America, the northern beaver, a handful of seal species and a couple of small African antelopes are other monogamous animals.

I read somewhere that if a goose was sitting on her eggs, her gander would go out foraging for food. If he found something, his first instinct would be to rush back to give it to his mate. (If only all males were so thoughtful.)

On the other side of the spectrum, only a small percent of mammals mate for life.

Perhaps monogamy would not be such a difficult thing if the females were... (careful, careful!).

Yes, there are days that I worry MacGyver would like to hand me a 'RETURN TO SENDER' note and march me right back to my mother. However MacGyver does realize I came with a NO RETURN, NO EXCHANGE policy. Thankfully, those kinds of days are few and far between.

I have reminded him time and again that I need my daily supply of hugs and kisses, and that as we grow older, I would like him to remember to keep holding my hand.

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