91µÎµÎ

Dates that uproot branches, not hearts

In the human world, a spectacular date is a dinner with a beautiful view of the mountains and the sunset. In the animal world, it's not the view of the sea that matters, but the ritual itself. Here, what matters are the feathers, the tail like the train of a wedding dress, or the armour that must be built anew every year.

The mating events of many species of insects (fireflies, dragonflies), labyrinth fish (the Siamese fighting fish, paradise fish), and amphibians are very spectacular

– says Dr Majecka.

The real show begins where sexual selection and the best disguise come into play. Enter the eastern paradise whydah, a bird whose male has a tail so long that biologists immediately follow it on Instagram.

In the eastern paradise whydah, the male's long tail increases his attractiveness to females... by leaping high above the savannah grasses.

What's more, science has taken this matter to task ruthlessly.

Experiments have shown that artificially lengthening tails increased the number of times males interact with females, while shortening them reduced it.

This is Valentine's Day lesson number one. Sometimes, prettier and more are simply more effective.

Do animals feel love, or do we just infer it?

This is where it gets interesting, because in Valentine's Day conversations, we like to use one word – love. But nature doesn't necessarily read romance novels.

Animals, or at least birds and mammals, have highly developed emotional lives 

– underlines Dr Majecka. 

Members of the same species can like each other, expressing their affection through touch or grooming.

Can we call this love? In a certain sense of the word – yes.

Absurd courtship? No

In nature, there are no "pointless" dates. There are only those whose meaning is not immediately to our liking.

In fact, no mating rituals can be considered absurd

– Dr Majecka says. 

Although some of them may seem so, they actually have a specific goal – to present themselves in the best possible light to the female.

Let's take a closer look at the guppy, a small fish with great ambitions. The male can display his courage in a way that sounds like a terrible idea. He swims dangerously close to a predator. If he survives, he wins his reputation. If not… well, romance can be costly.

Frogs are also a good example, as they croak and croak loudly and for long periods to attract females. What’s the problem?

The males' calls attract not only females but also bats, which prey on male frogs.

So, Valentine's Day, but with a horror twist.

And spiders? This is where things get really spicy.

The process of sperm transfer carries a mortal risk 

– says Dr Majecka. 

It sometimes happens that the male is eaten after mating. This isn't an accident at work, but a biological strategy, sometimes treated as an investment in offspring.

A gazebo instead of a bouquet: bird architects

If you're looking for species that would make Valentine's Day look like an awards gala for style and creativity, meet the bowerbirds of Australia and New Zealand. They don't buy gifts at the supermarket. They'll build you a summer residence.

Males of these birds build complex structures on the ground – gazebos, richly decorated with flowers, snail shells and shiny objects

– says Dr Majecka. And then she adds a sentence that should hang above the entrance to every Valentine's Day shop:

A male who doesn't build a gazebo has no chance of getting a date on Valentine's Day

– adds the amused scientist.

Nature is beautiful, but also pragmatic. What matters is the effect, the composition, the consistency. It's a bit like a dating profile, except you can't embellish it with filters. You really have to build something.

For life or for a season?

Animal monogamy sounds romantic, but Dr Majecka quickly brings the topic down to earth with numbers.

Monogamy is observed in only about 5% of mammal species and about 90% of bird species.

Who stays together permanently?

Some species of geese, puffins, albatrosses... and among mammals, gibbons, wolves, coyotes and even some rodents.

Why? Because sometimes it simply pays off. Less energy for courtship, more for defending the territory, building the nest and raising the young together. Monogamy also has a downside that doesn't fit the postcard ideal.

Staying in one relationship for life reduces the genetic variability of offspring

...and this can lower their chances in a changing world. Male self-interest can be ruthless in its logic.

Male reproductive success is often correlated with the number of females impregnated; a long-term relationship is not in a male's best interest.

Valentine's Day is Valentine's Day, but biology is always at the forefront.

Love is painful. Animal mourning

Here we stop joking, because we're getting into a topic that evokes sadness.

The greatest animal sadness is attributed to the loss of a permanent partner in geese 

– says Dr Majecka. 

The description is poignant. The bird can fly towards its dead partner, as if trying to persuade it to flee, and then stays aside and calls to its absent partner.

There are also elephants, known for behaviours that many researchers interpret as mourning. They keep vigil by the body and cover it with branches. Dr Majecka cites observations from Amboseli, Kenya – two female elephants returned to the corpse of a third, making sad sounds, as if unable to come to terms with the loss.

Love triangles like those from soap operas? Geese are having their season

We're going back to what we love most about love! If you think emotional drama is the domain of humans, geese disagree.

Dr Majecka recalls observations of greylag geese from Grünau, Austria, and the story of the triangle. The female Mercedes and the males Florian and Nilson. In the chronicles cited in Jacek Karczewski's book, there's a scene that reads like a soap opera episode.

Mercedes was running back and forth, screaming hysterically... She was calling out for Florian... He was clearly defeated. Despite this, she immediately approached him... Nilson stood nearby... Florian... shielded her with his aching body.

Who destroys romantic notions the most?

Some species look like a symbol of love, and others eat it.

A classic example is the mating behaviour of praying mantises or certain spider species (e.g., the black widow) 

– explains Dr Majecka

Some copulations can end with the female devouring the male… an excellent investment in children in the form of an extra portion of food.

So, if you're planning a candlelit dinner tonight, stay away from praying mantises. They take the words of wedding vows too literally.

Happy Valentine's Day! Love each other (and yourselves) not only on holidays!