The 3.6 million-year-old footprints that reveal how our ancient male ancestors had more than one mate at a time

boy ... they sure are making a lot of assumption based on a single sample ... what if one of them was the mother in law? eh?

Maybe they were his kids, sisters, etc. the researcher is really making a leap here.

Or maybe just part of a larger passing group and the other men were more spread out and didn't leave tracks at that point.

i am going to Zanzibar in April . Hope i will find some answer for this

Or, other males within the group were ahead; behind or off to the sides. Who knows? Maybe even hunting somewhere else.

Lions do this, so do deer. In modern society it doesn't work, because the man's financial resources are diluted with the addition of each wife and child. This isn't conducive to the survival of offspring, which is what all species are about.

I walked to a meeting with six female colleagues in my office today... Hope my wife doesn't check my footprints!

Or perhaps the mates of these females died or were killed and the male is offering protection? Who knows, as you can't discern relationship bonds from footprints...

Dad on a day trip with daughters.