NARRATOR:
Finding the perfect partner
is tricky business
in the animal kingdom.
Males must put on a show.
They'll sing and dance
or compete to near death
just to win
a female's favor.
But females have the final say
in who becomes their companion.
There's a lot riding on
making a good match.
this is a potential protector
and family provider.
But all antics aside,
from brief liaisons
to lifetime bonds --
when picking a mate, does "love"
ever enter the equation?
[Wind howling]
NARRATOR:
The Arctic.
Millions of square miles
of empty ice.
Polar bears
are normally solitary.
You might think that
even finding a partner
in this desolate landscape
would be a challenge.
But they have an excellent
sense of smell
and can detect another bear
over the horizon.
Male bears
can spend weeks
tracking the scent
of a female
who will soon be ready
to mate.
A bear's age and health
will affect its scent,
and they sniff closely
to size each other up.
She's choosy.
She'll raise the cubs alone
for two or three years.
It's a huge commitment.
So, it's vital
to pick a male
who'll give her offspring
strong and healthy genes.
She puts him
through his paces.
He's led up and down
the slopes.
She's testing his fitness.
As they get to know
each other,
they start to play.
Courtship is
one of the few times
that adult animals
play together.
This slope's rather steep
for the heavier male.
It's no good,
he can't quite manage it.
But she seems to have decided
that he might be the one.
Yet he seems to have
lost interest.
It's her turn
to do the chasing...
and she's got a few tricks
to reignite his passion.
He rouses himself
for a closer look.
Now that
she's reeled him in,
she goes straight back
to giving him
the run-around.
Playing hard-to-get
can reveal
how fit and strong
potential partners are --
a useful strategy,
and not just in polar bears.
It's often the females
who do the choosing
and the males
who have to make
all the effort.
In the tropical forest
of Papua New Guinea,
one male is dedicated to making
that all important
first impression.
The six-plumed bird of paradise
begins with
meticulous housework.
He obsessively tidies
every fallen leaf.
He's hard at work
creating a stage
for what will be
quite a performance.
A few berries
decorate the floor.
His final touch
is hardly ever seen.
He appears to have found
a bit of old snake skin.
Some scientists believe
he's trying to add
the scent of a snake
to ward off predators.
For others,
it's a cleaning cloth,
and he's polishing
a perch for a female.
Later, he comes up with
a bigger rag
and does the same.
Only strong, healthy
and well-fed males
can afford the time and effort
for this most meticulous
preparation,
and in theory,
they're the ones with
the better genes
to pass on.
He'll have
a highly critical audience.
So, it's time to rehearse
the main act.
[Jazzy score playing over]
His dance steps perfected,
he's ready to start the show
for real.
He spots a female nearby,
so quickly goes to get
more berries
to tempt her in.
Disaster!
He's left his polishing rag
on the dance floor!
It's perfect for her nest!
She flies off without even
seeing his dance.
He delivers his berries
too late.
He never got the chance
to win her heart --
and she stole
his polishing cloth!
Back to work.
As fussy females favor
particular attributes,
they become exaggerated
over generations,
leading to ever more elaborate
and extreme displays.
They are full of clues
as to how good
the male's genes might be.
[Birds calling]
It's all
a matter of taste.
Different species are attracted
to different features --
fancy feathers,
red faces,
blue faces...
large noses...
Beauty is all in
the eye of the beholder.
It's often a special costume,
or dance,
or even an exotic perfume
that can turn heads.
In the forests of Madagascar,
it's all three.
Welcome to
the lemur lounge bar.
The boys are on parade,
hoping to be chosen.
They are sizing each other up
this morning,
with calculated disdain.
One of the females
is in heat.
The breeding season is short
and who gets whom
is all up for grabs.
Fights quickly break out.
The object of their affection
just sits and waits.
While the fur flies,
one sneaky young male
sees an opportunity
to make his move.
He hopes to win her heart
by more subtle means.
With an air of nonchalance,
he settles down
and begins to smear scent
onto his tail
from glands on his wrist.
The perfume
he wafts over her
will tell her a lot about
what he has to offer
as a potential partner.
And he might just
offer something
that the other males don't.
He may not be
the strongest fighter,
but the latest science suggests
his scent might contain clues
to a different strength --
his ability to fight illness
and parasites,
which he could pass on
to her offspring.
She's still not convinced.
Maybe she should wait for
the arguing males to finish.
[Male lemurs squabbling]
But the quarrelling continues,
unresolved.
So, she leads him off
somewhere quieter.
His offer has finally
won her over,
and they indulge in
some undercover love.
Extravagant dance,
flashy colors
and irresistible perfume
may all be clues
to good genes,
but occasionally
a male has to offer more.
On the other side
of the world,
an idyllic
English riverside
is the setting for
one such story.
Here is a creature
who seems to flirt with suicide
to woo his paramour
with the perfect gift.
The delicate
banded demoiselle
knows that what every girl wants
is fast-flowing water,
rich in life-giving oxygen,
as the best place
to lay her eggs.
Each male,
in his shining metallic armor,
is prepared to fight for
the best patch,
in a graceful aerial
contretemps.
The victor has won
possession of a place
where the river riffles round
a fallen branch.
Faster running water --
that's just what the ladies
are looking for.
But how can he prove that
this is a good spot?
He flings himself
at the water,
using his own body
to show the flow.
It's a high risk strategy --
he might drown,
or be snatched by
a hungry fish.
If she's impressed,
she'll allow the seduction
to conclude.
All his hard work
has paid off.
She gives their eggs
the best possible start in life,
laid on plants
in oxygen-rich water.
He's a true romantic hero
who's risked his life,
and all to offer a lady
the perfect place
to lay her eggs.
But there are times
when males offer something
that seems
almost arbitrary.
Topi, African antelopes,
gather each year
for a very unusual
and highly ritualized
contest.
The males start
by putting on w*r-paint.
By plastering their horns
with mud,
they're trying to be more
intimidating to other males,
and maybe more attractive
to females.
The dirtier the better.
The males compete
in a loose circle,
called a lek,
and each fights to hold ground
as close as possible
to the center of
the arena.
Gaining a coveted place
on the lek
signals that a male
is fit enough
to out-compete
the others.
He's stronger,
more determined --
a winner.
The lek is
a constant b*ttlefield
for the duration of
the mating season
as males continually
challenge and defend.
The females
are most impressed
with the males
at the heart of the arena,
and reward them accordingly.
The topis' rituals
go on for many days.
The males dare not leave
their territories,
or rivals
will claim them.
As the days pass,
they become
ever more exhausted.
For some,
the competition exacts
the ultimate price.
Hyenas are quick
to take advantage of
the weak and exhausted topi,
particularly on the edges.
We can see now
why the females
find the topi in the middle
more attractive.
The center is very much
worth fighting for.
Yet despite the hyenas,
the male topi stay close to
their positions on the lek.
To flee would mean losing
any chance of mating.
[Hyenas squabbling]
To make sure that they win
any contest with their rivals,
many males weapon up.
[Bellowing]
Full of testosterone
and belligerence,
males push each other
to the limit.
But fighting is a dangerous,
even life-threatening, strategy.
So, animals will go to great
lengths to avoid a fight
if they can.
American bison
graze peacefully together
until the mating
season arrives,
when the atmosphere changes.
The males begin to
"taste" the air,
to pick up the scent
of any female who might be
ready to mate.
Before any fight,
competing males strut
alongside each other,
assessing
one another.
Pumped up with testosterone,
they paw the ground
to show off their strength.
They spray the earth
with their urine
and then roll in it,
so they reek of
their own hormones.
These ritual displays
can put off rival males
without having to resort to
a potentially dangerous fight.
But it doesn't always work.
Even then,
most fights are resolved
in a matter of seconds.
A few, however,
escalate into
full-scale battle.
Weighing almost a ton,
they use power and speed
to try and push each other
off their feet.
This male is lucky to escape
a fatal stabbing.
For the winner, the prize is
the whole harem of females.
Whether by fighting
or by more sophisticated means,
it's often males who seem to do
the hard work.
But it's not always as one-sided
as you might think.
In the mountains of
Central Africa
live gorillas.
Extended families
of females
and youngsters
are headed up
by a dominant male,
the silverback.
He defends his territory
by intimidating any rivals
from among his neighbors.
Fights are rare,
and as with bison,
there's a lot of bluster.
Males also hope to impress
neighboring females
with displays of strength,
tempting them to join him,
while keeping
the neighboring silverbacks
well away.
He's attracted
a new young female.
It seems she wants
this silverback
to father
her children.
She only has a day or two
when she's fertile.
There's no time to waste,
but she's going to have to
work hard to get his attention.
She stares at him,
a brazenly flirtatious act
in itself.
She tightens her lips
into a smile
and gazes straight
into his eyes.
This is gorilla seduction
at its least subtle.
But he doesn't seem to be
won over
by her shameless tactics.
Now what's a girl to do?
The whole family watches
to see what happens next.
The young female
decides to try
a different tactic.
There are two teenagers,
black-backed
immature males,
and she flirts with them.
She positions herself between
the two rival boys.
Both are
interested in her.
She's a tease.
As she joins one,
the other watches,
grunting in jealous fury.
She solicits both males,
but doesn't actually
mate with either.
She only has eyes
on the big prize,
and sure enough,
the silverback hears
and comes charging in.
With a little subterfuge,
she gets her man.
[Grunting]
The silverback will offer
more than just good genes
to her offspring.
Any children that are his
will get his protection
as part of the family.
Perhaps best to make
absolutely sure.
It's all for this --
a helpless
mountain gorilla baby,
one of only a handful left.
The family bonds among
mountain gorillas are strong.
The silverback's role as father
goes beyond protection.
He's babysitter,
playmate,
and role model, too.
When both parents stick around
to protect and rear
the offspring,
finding the right mate
becomes more complex.
It's no longer just about
strong and healthy genes,
but more about
being a good father.
Dads offering
worthy parenting skills
can be found in
the most unlikely of places.
Spring in the sea
off Australia.
Below the surface
lies a dedicated father,
a weedy sea dragon.
His outfit is unusual
for a fish,
with colors and dots
and strange attachments.
He's a cousin of
the sea horse.
When he finds
his weedy sea dragoness,
he joins her
for a dance.
As the evening progresses,
she leads him on a slow waltz.
In a graceful duet,
each partner mirrors
the actions of the other.
They sweep and they wiggle.
Darkness will soon draw a veil
over the pair,
but they will dance on
into the night.
Two months later,
and the nature of what he was
offering is revealed.
After the dance, the female
transferred all her eggs to him.
Since then, he alone
has cared for them.
By embedding them in his tail
and carrying them everywhere,
he has kept them safe.
And now,
they start to hatch.
In the calm of
a summer morning,
a baby weedy sea dragon
is born,
its yolk sac still attached.
The babies shelter
in the weed bed,
now feeding themselves.
Their success is thanks to
a father that stayed around.
Many other animals
test for parenting skills
with a pas de deux,
but flamingos go dancing
on a much grander scale.
[Flamingos squawking]
The party here on Lake Bogoria
in Tanzania
is perhaps the greatest
gathering of courting couples
in the animal world.
Thousands of flamingos
dance together,
all looking for
Mister or Missus Right.
Eye color and bright feathers
are important --
the redder,
the better.
Once you've caught
someone's eye,
it's about choosing a partner
who will be loyal,
who will stick around.
Flamingos like partners
of their own
age and size.
But the dance may reveal much
deeper insights into each other.
Many animals
find symmetry attractive,
and the mirrored movements
and coordinated head turns
may help find a mate
that is more compatible.
They seem to prefer birds
like themselves.
It's vital to make
the right choice.
Flamingos nest
in the middle of
soda lakes.
They are swamps
of caustic mud,
and among the hottest
places on Earth.
It's a trek to find
the nearest food and water,
and you can't
leave the nest
to bake in the sun.
That means raising the chick
is impossible
for a single parent,
and working together
is crucial.
It gets above 120°
out here.
This is parenting
at its toughest,
so the choice of partner made in
the dance needs to be right.
There are many animals
for whom the choice of mate
is really about finding
a partner
to look after
the family together.
But in some cases, that doesn't
work out well for everyone.
[Howling]
[Wolves howling]
February in Yellowstone --
bitterly cold
and food is scarce.
Teamwork is what matters
to wolves.
Their prey, elk,
are many times
a wolf's size.
The wolves must work together,
so their offspring stay,
often for years,
hunting, and helping
raise the pups.
This works well
for the wolf parents,
but not quite so well
for their older offspring.
The leading couple discourages
the teenagers
from looking for a mate.
But one of their daughters
has romantic ideas of her own.
Skulking behind the pack
is a lone male wolf.
He has no territory of his own,
but follows the family,
scavenging leftovers
and looking for
opportunities.
He's spotted one --
the young daughter.
The intruder stands
a good chance with her,
as long as
he's not caught.
The pack leader
could k*ll him.
[Howling]
While the pack is
distracted by a bison,
the temptation
for the young female
is too great,
and she sneaks away
to join
the mysterious stranger.
It's risky, but it could be
her only chance
to hook up with
a potential mate.
When mating,
wolves lock together,
unable to separate
for half an hour,
to ensure fertilization.
Not so good
if you're about to be caught
by your dad.
The affair
was always destined
to be a short one.
After a painful separation,
her new mate is chased away
with his tail
between his legs.
The wayward daughter
is chastised for her behavior.
Eventually though,
she'll be accepted
back into the family.
Had she not been caught,
she could have played
the innocent daughter...
at least until
any pups were born.
It is not unusual
for animals to want their
private lives to remain private.
[Howling]
The more we learn about
how animals behave,
the more it seems that
behind the facade of seemingly
perfect animal partnerships
lurk darker secrets.
The truths of which
are only now coming to light.
Lar gibbons,
in the forests of Thailand.
They seem to be
the perfect couple,
monogamous and musical.
[Calling]
Their duet is
a renewal
of their partnership,
and proclaims
their home territory.
They stay together
to raise a family.
But appearances
can be deceptive.
They're surrounded on all sides
by neighbors,
and gibbons
can sometimes stray.
It turns out
about one in ten matings
is not with their partner.
Some scientists think that
there may be a reason
for a female's infidelity.
A quick liaison may serve to
convince other neighboring males
that they could be
the father of her offspring,
and this might stop them
attacking the youngsters.
Maybe a little infidelity
actually helps
protect the family.
Whatever the reason
for straying,
their affairs don't seem to be
a problem for their partnership.
They'll remain together.
Animals seem to distinguish
the partnership they need
to look after a family
from the affairs
along the way.
But while some animals
tolerate infidelities
and seem to turn
a blind eye,
others notice
and remember.
On the Galapagos Islands,
blue-footed boobies are just
starting their families.
Blue-footed boobies also dance
to form partnerships.
Each movement
mirrors the other.
Like flamingos,
they seem to fall for
birds like themselves --
compatible.
"Booby" means "clown."
Their big blue feet
are an important part
of the costume.
Blue feet are important because
the blue color is hard to make,
especially if the birds
are in poor condition.
It's an honest indicator
of good health.
So, they show them off.
Unlike flamingos,
boobies continue
their courtship displays
even after nesting starts,
as though they weren't
quite sure of each other.
And then,
while their partners
are away feeding,
both sexes flirt with
their neighbors.
The truth is that
boobies have a roving eye,
and those blue feet
tend to wander.
About half have secret,
extra-marital affairs.
They come up to each other
and display.
And one thing
leads to another.
Occasionally,
the male comes back
and sees the female
with someone else.
She quickly
returns to his side.
He doesn't react!
They display,
as they always do,
affirming
their relationship.
They never split up.
It seems here
the instinct to stay together
to raise the family
is stronger than
any infidelity.
But nobody wants to bring up
someone else's chick.
He remembers what he saw
and seems to count the days.
If an egg is laid five days
after catching his partner
with a neighbor,
he knows he isn't the father.
When she's away,
he'll roll it out of the nest
to be lost.
She returns, and their
relationship keeps going.
She'll lay more,
and once the eggs hatch,
they'll settle down
to a faithful
family life.
So, does everyone cheat
at the mating game?
Well, maybe not.
Animals that stay together
forever and remain faithful
are certainly very rare.
But there may be a few
perfect partnerships.
One may be found
in New Caledonia
in the South Pacific.
These are kagus,
flightless birds that stay
together as a couple for life.
Both parents work together
to look after one chick.
This is Dad, pitting his wits
against a worm.
Spot the chick.
The camouflage is effective.
Less effective
is getting the food in.
Feeding babies
can take a lot of patience.
Some of the young
from previous years
stay in the territory
and help defend any chicks
from predators
or neighboring kagus.
[Calling]
Each morning
they spend about 15 minutes
singing together.
They work as a team
and chase away any intruders.
The kagus' relationship is solid
and their bonds of commitment
are passed down
to the offspring,
forming a really strong
family unit.
But the kagus also seem to be
quite the romantics.
Each year the male
rekindles the flame
with this life-long mate.
She's seen it all before,
but it's still important
to remind her.
After all, no one likes to
be taken for granted.
They may be
committed for life,
but it seems
he still wants her to know
that she's
the only one for him.
Throughout the animal kingdom,
the mating game is full
of extraordinary behavior
and surprising
sophistication.
Even fighting
is overlaid with ritual
and sacrifice.
For many animals
it's all about
playing the field.
Some are
carefully chosen
for a brief liaison.
But there are those
searching for commitment,
a partner who will
stick around.
While others form bonds
that can last a lifetime.
There are even a few
that remain truly faithful.
Though we can never be sure
what animals feel,
sometimes,
it looks like love.
And it's hard
to know, then,
what else to call it.
Back on the soda lake in Africa,
the flamingos
have left their nests.
Left behind,
a couple.
One is stuck,
helpless in the mud.
The other flamingo
could fly away at any point.
The chicks are gone,
their job is done...
but they stay,
together,
to the very end.
To learn more about what you've
seen on this "Nature" program,
visit pbs.org.
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