In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d share a list of romantic things that take place in the animal kingdom.Â
1. Bonobos
I have to start this list off with Bonobos because Valentine’s Day is also World Bonobo Day. Can’t get much more romantic than that! Most primates and apes participate in grooming, which acts as a form of social bonding. These apes also set the mood by giving each other hugs and even kisses. XOXO
2. Seahorses
Seahorses do everything they can to keep the fire alive. They are known for holding tails, nudging noses and even dancing with each other! These little guys keep up the flirting the whole time that they are waiting for the eggs to hatch. Seahorses are a dynamic duo and even share the load of pregnancy. After a female has fertilized eggs she gives them to the male to carry around. Talk about an involved baby daddy.Â
3. Gibbons
Adding another ape to the list, gibbons are considered mainly monogamous and often mate for life. In choosing their life partner, many females look for partners that are good with kiddos. These guys are also great singers. They have an area in their throat that swells called a “throat sac” which helps carry their song further through the forest to their partner.Â
4. Lovebirds
Just as the name suggests these birds are quite affectionate with each other. Many species of birds have mating dances or find token items to attract a partner to their nest. However these lovebirds take it a step further. The males will do a head-bob dance which gets the females’ feathers all ruffled. They continue to sit next to each other and cuddle often and frequently!
5. Gentoo Penguins
The Iconic Pebble Penguin. When romance in animals arises as a topic, most people imagine the Gentoo penguin, which is known for the males giving rocks to the female during courtship. This little pebble acts as a bouquet of flowers. As they don’t have any thumbs, they scoop up these pebbles with their beaks. These pebbles also have a purpose, as there are not many twigs and other nesting materials to use. Making a nest from pebbles helps keep the eggs off the ground and away from the ice. It also gets competitive out there, so some penguins have even resorted to stealing from neighbors’ nests! Talk about drama, these penguins have their own episode of Love Island when a “hot new bombshell… enters the villa”. Hopefully, there won’t be too many pebble battles out there in the sub-Antarctic islands this Valentine’s Day!