MAMMALS aren’t a romantic bunch on the whole. Most are polygamous, shunning long-term attachments, humans being one of the few to embrace monogamy. Human intervention, however, has caused one polygamous mammal to change its social behaviour and settle down.
Mountain brushtail possums (Trichosurus caninus) in the Strathbogie Ranges in northern Victoria, Australia, are classic polygamists, living the single life and getting together only to mate. At least, that’s the case in densely forested parts of their habitat.
Polygamy is common in mammals because females must expend energy in gestation and lactation, so it makes evolutionary sense for males to use…
