News Animals

Prairie voles can find partners just fine without the ‘love hormone’ oxytocin

The hormone was thought to be essential to how social bonds form between the animals

A close up photo of two prairie voles sitting next to each other on a white background.

Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) form male-female pair-bonds and stick with their partner for life. The molecule oxytocin has long been thought to be important in this process.

Nastacia Goodwin

By Darren Incorvaia

- More than 2 years ago

Read another version of this article at Science News Explores

Prairie voles have long been heralded as models of monogamy.