Why do humans and animals breed?

Question

I know it's to ensure the longevity of the species, but what relevance does this have to the individual? Why does it matter to one person, or mouse, or lion, that their species continues?

Is it because (and I am not well educated so please don't ridicule me) that earth depends on a careful balance, and so that if too many species die the whole of nature would eventually collapsed (and therefore the need to breed is programmed into us at a genetic level)?

Thanks.

Answer 1

humans and animals dont breed where i am from....you might want to lay off the booze buddy

Answer 2

Any species that has survived for any great lenght of time has within it's individuals a primal need to pass on it's line. For many creatures, the females are hormonally almost forced, and that process drives the males to forget everything else. In most humans, males at some point get hit with an overwhelming desire to have sex, and this is what drives us. Many woman start feeling a biological clock ticking if they don’t pop out a baby or so quick enough. This is simply the natural order of things.

Answer 3

You've got the first part exactly right. It doesn't matter to one person or mouse or lion that their species continues. Sexually reproducing species exist because at some time in the evolution of sexual reproduction, the overwhelming urge to breed came along with their very existence.

The second part of what you suggest is not exactly right. For the earth to be as it is now, there is a balance. But, that doesn't mean it has to be that exact way. If it were different, then nature would simply look different. Human over-population in the current era is overwhelming the rest of nature and that is changing the balance. We will see what happens because of that some time in the future - maybe very soon.

But, this human over-population goes back to your first point. Even with all of their so-called intelligence, humans cannot resist the overwhelming urge to breed and breed and breed..

Answer 4

I think if that were to happen, messing around with nature, you would wind up with some pretty freakish animal beings, like some animals attack and kill (bears, lions, tigers) and we'd see alot more vicious attacks, not to mention what kind of messed up world would that be? Sure humans aren't the greatest at times, messed up people like Jeffrey Dalhmer, but alot of us are compassionate, caring people. I think people should help animals, I think people should help people, it's all apart of being kind. Kindness would make the world a lot better place on all levels. You treat a person or animal kindly and it doesn't forget that. I tame wild stray cats over the years and not one of them would ever consider hurting me, on the other hand, I've seen very abused cats, cats people kicked, didn't feed, etc attack and lash out in fear. Abolish fear, treat with kindness and you have a good place where both people and animals will want to be.

Answer 5

Essentially, the drive to reproduce is an instinct operating in all animals - including humans.

Think about it: you get horny, and therefore want to have sex. Before the advent of contraception, this was essentially making babies. So the urge to have sex equals the urge to breed.

It's not that it is relevant to the individual; it is relevant to the genes they carry. Your genes dictate much about your behaviour (not all, obviously, but a lot): for example, the fear response is pretty hard-wired. So is breeding. Your genes dictate that you feel sexually aroused in order that they get propagated. If they didn't do this, you'd have no offspring, and those genes would die out. So the "horny" genes have persisted.

This is a facet of the "selfish gene theory": check the link below.

Answer 6

You are right, and don't say you are not well educated ! The fact that you are even wondering about deep things like this, shows you are very smart and inquisitive! But to answer your question, yes, it IS pre-programmed into our genes. In the animals' case, it does NOT matter to the individual, they just simply mate because their "time" comes. (as they mature, INSTINCT kicks in to procreate. Some species die as soon as they make an offspring!). When it comes to humans though, we have more of a "choice". The instinct to procreate is still in our genes, otherwise we would die off eventually, so we "feel" like becoming mothers(or fathers, but instinct is stronger in females). Have you ever heard of the expression someone's "biological clock ticking" ? Well, that means something internal is telling us to hurry up and procreate, before we get old and it's too late. Sometimes, us humans choose not to have children, either because the primal instinct in not strong in those individuals, or simply other reasons. But the Earth DOES need a very delicate balance in order to thrive, that's why we eat the fish who eats the frog who eats the bug who eats the worm who eats the grass, and so on. It ensures that one species does not overwhelm others.

Answer 7

There are 4 reasons why organisms interact:

Territorial Needs
Food Dependency Relationships
Need to Propagate [increase species]
Social Needs

Answer 8

This is just one way or another a product of our ancestor's extremely creative mind about cultivating life on earth. In my viewpoint. human as called as the social animal has to adapt certain stages of evolution to meet its succession same thing with the wild animals so as to connect, share and enjoy the magnificent wonders of nature.. Besides, that's the essence of unsatisfied living...

Answer 9

science version: sex is one of human's normal activities. once they have sex between two opposite genders (without any protection, for sure), the ovums and sperms will meet each other and make a new creature with that. that is the science explaination why do human breed.

religion version: because God said people marry to get children as many as they can to fulfill the earth. (written in genesis)

Answer 10

Wow Gribbling beat me to it. I was about to mention Richard Dawkins and 'The Selfish Gene'. Breeding is all about passing your genes on to the next generation, thereby ensuring their (the genes) continuation. We (the animal) are little more than carriers of genes (as far as the genes are concerned).

Answer 11

Instinct. Your theory is correct in as much as all living things are genetically programmed to reproduce. The same as they are programmed to eat when hungry or flee from danger.

Every living thing is instilled with a sense of it's continued survival.