Love in the Animal Kingdom

In the natural world, courtship serves as a vital aspect of ensuring the survival of the species. Just as with humans, in many cases the female is in control, watching as the male struts, dances, and displays, looking for physical clues as to whether he would be a good partner to nurture and protect offspring. Filmmaker Mark Fletcher's PBS-aired Nature documentary examines animal mating rituals, asking whether love or affection plays any part in the process. In the vast, snowy wilderness of the Arctic, male polar bears use their keen sense of smell to locate receptive mates. The tropical bird of paradise performs a show for the female, scattering berries on his "stage," before executing elaborate, colorful dances. The gorilla looks to create a female harem, using bluster to ward off rivals, and employing staring as a seduction ploy. Long-tailed lemurs of Madagascar parade for females, while the usually placid male bison wallows in his own urine to scare off other males, offering a testosterone soaked come-on to the ladies. Some animals play hard to get, and in cases of infidelity, some—such as the blue-footed boobies of the Galápagos Islands—forgive, but do not forget, rolling any eggs sired by rivals out of the nest. How much of this is truly related to what we consider love may be open to question, but the fact is that some animals do pair for life and many will protect their offspring. And in a poignant case shown here featuring two African flamingos, a partner stays with a stricken mate right to the end. Combining vivid footage, information, humor, and a playful musical score, this examination of mating rituals and bonding in the animal kingdom is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)