At the end of the day, no matter how many people we meet across our life, the bond one shares with their family is irreplaceable and incomparable. We are social animals. A need for connection develops as soon as we are brought into this world, and the first connection we make is with our family. They shape us into what we are today—what we eat, what we wear, how we behave, and who we make further connections with. We rely on them to be there for us at every point in our life. While brothers around the country must be flaunting their rakhis, and sisters boasting about the many gifts they received, the idea of family and the family bond is reinforced. The colorful festival of Raksha Bandhan celebrates this familial bond, which is pure and selfless. While we humans would like to believe that the concepts of relationship, love, selflessness, and loyalty are exclusive to us, there are some animals that value, acknowledge, and cherish these concepts too. A strong familial bond is vital to their existence, and they know that. Take a look at species other than humans that exhibit strong family bonds.

Led by a matriarch, elephants value family more than anything else. They move in herds and are known to display the concept of shared responsibilities. These gentle giants will take no time in standing up for the protection of their young ones in the face of danger. The key to sustaining any bond is communication. Elephants are in tune with the trumpet sound of their family members, so much so that they can recognize the direction from which the sound came even if it were 10 kilometers away. With such a strong bond, the death of any family members or friends is mourned. Female elephants have been seen grieving over stillborn elephants. Not just that, female elephants have been noted to adopt orphaned baby elephants and take care of them as their own. Alloparenting has been witnessed, especially among African elephants.

Rearing a child is always a tough task, but rearing a male orca compromises the health of the mother orca. This pain, however, is taken willingly by the mothers—just like in a human family. Orcas are known to bond deeply with their family throughout their life. As orcas are among the few matrilineal species, the females become independent pretty early, while the male offspring tend to depend on their mothers completely. The family groups of orcas are called pods, and each pod is led by the oldest and wisest female. All the members of a pod take care of the offspring by playing with them, providing food for them, and maybe even teaching them life lessons.

Wolves are highly coordinated animals that live in packs. They have a complex social unit that includes offspring, siblings, aunts, and uncles. This living together facilitates the parenting of the offspring, the passing of knowledge, the education of pups, and the establishment of a communication system among them. Taking care of and nurturing each other forms a major part of the family structure in wolves. There have been clear indications of strong emotional bonds within the members of a pack. Wolves have been seen mourning the death of their loved ones too.

Several studies conclude that the early human lifestyle of hunters and gatherers resembles that of chimpanzees. The family bond is vital to chimpanzees. Living in an extended group of about 20-21 members, these animals take care of each other at all times. Mothers and their offspring share a close bond. While the female chimpanzees may move to other communities, the males are known to stay in their natal groups. There is a five- to six-year break between offspring, which gives the parents and the community enough time to train the young ones. In any case, if the mother chimpanzee dies or is unable to provide for her children, other members of the community will tend to the younglings. The bond between the male and female chimpanzees is not monogamous; hence, the males in the community take on the role of the father and care for the little ones.

The dwarf mongoose has an unusual hierarchy system, where the young ones rank higher than the old ones. However, the group is still led by the dominant and oldest male and female members. These little creatures are highly communicative, strengthening the bond between the family members. They communicate with each other through twitters, whistles, and vibrations. One group of mongooses may contain members ranging from 8-20, and they are highly protective of each other. They provide for each other and protect their territory and members. If the mother dies, the young one can either join a new group or be taken care of by others.

These penguins have a unique courting ritual: when the male penguins arrive each year at the nesting site, they court the females by lowering their chests to their heads and producing unique sounds. Once the pairs are decided, the penguins remain monogamous until the end of the breeding season, and sometimes even extend this monogamous relationship. The male provides warmth to the egg laid while the female goes off in search of food. When the females return, the males take on the responsibility. Once the penguins have grown to a certain age, they are left by the adults in groups called crèches while the adults hunt for food. This develops reliance among the young penguins, reinforcing the ideals of a family bond.

These dogs are led by one monogamous breeding pair, and their group usually consists of 2-40 members at once. They are well-known for their hunting capabilities, and this is enhanced by the fact that they hunt together and have a strong bond. The group sticks together and provides for each other in terms of food, care, and protection from other predators. During the hunt, the younger pups are allowed to feed first. The adults, who eat later, might even regurgitate some of their food to provide for the ones that stayed behind.

They live in coteries within larger colonies. Their family structure is complemented by extensive living structures that they build for their group. They have separate areas for sleeping, going to the bathroom, and raising their young. These rodents are highly affectionate and show their love by kissing and nuzzling one another. Living in such a close-knit and extensive community, these rodents have developed a way of communication that helps them alert others in the face of danger.