Dolphins are gay
Homosexual behavior in the animal kingdom is rife. One of the best-known examples is among bottlenose dolphins, with both males and females having encounters with members of the same sex.
The precise reasons for the behavior are not well understood, but social bonding is thought to be a factor.
Researchers in Australia are looking to solve the mystery. They recently observed big groups of dolphins engaging in what appeared to be lesbian behavior. A team from the Mandurah Dolphin Research Undertaking in Western Australia noticed the males started spending quality time together after their mating season was over.
"These dolphins, all but three of them juveniles, organized themselves in four subgroups in which they were observed engaging in socio-sexual behavior that included mounting and genital contact between individuals," Krista Nicholson, of Murdoch University, told the Mandurah Mail.
"The subgroups unified, frequently forming a large group, and then split again in different organization compositions."
This is characteristic behavior seen in other bottlenose dolphin populations, Nicholson said, including those set up in Shark Bay. Scientists have studied this group extensively, with resea
Diving into the Deep: Unravelling Same-Sex Socio-Sexual Behaviours in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
By Anna Gionis Research Intern
Same-sex socio-sexual behaviours (SSSB) in animals are interactions between members of the same sex which are ascribed to opposite sex courtship and mating behaviours without reproduction (Bailey & Zuk 2009). These include mounting, genital contact, courting and pair bonding (Bagemihl 1999 cited by Scharf & Martin 2013). There is evidence for SSSB in more than 1500 species across the animal kingdom (Monk et al. 2019). Familiar bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), for example, are known to exhibit homosexual behaviour through tactile interactions; members of the same sex, particularly in males (Silva & Spinelli, 2023), have been recorded mounting one another and stimulating the other’s genitals using a flipper, melon, fluke, or rostrum (Serres et al. 2022). Hypotheses such as social bonding, the maintenance of dominance and training for future mating may explain this behaviour in this species (Mann, 2006). The prevalence of SSSB is puzzling: it consumes force, decreases the opportunity for heterosexual mating and d
Homosexuality is completely natural according to...well nature!
Did you perceive same-sex pairing is not just normal in the animal kingdom - it's even common. Studies imply that about 1,500 animal species are known to practice same-sex coupling - from insects, to fish, birds and mammals.
One controversial question that has been asked for hundreds of years is..."is homosexuality innate or acquired?".
Bruce Bagemihl a Canadian biologist, linguist, and author of the guide Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity, suggested if same sex sexual behaviour could be set up in other animals, this would prove it was ’natural’ and not due the influence of world or upbringing. He then spent 9 years studying the natural animal kingdom looking for same sex sexual behaviour. What he found was that queer sexual behaviour was in-fact found through-out the animal kingdom.
Primates and dolphins exhibit comparable examples of all categories of non-conceptive sexual behaviours, including sexual interactions with those involving individuals of the same sex, and copulation during the non-conceptive periods. Although mammals of other taxa also p
Dolphin males can sometimes form life-long friendships with one another. This type of relationship is recognizable in the field as “male pair bonds.” These bonds are typically formed between two males (sometimes three) of similar age. The males in the pair bond will engage in a range of cooperative activities, fond hunting and courting females, and will often spend significant moment together.
Bromance time
Having a confidant that acts as a wingman can really help males trying to find a female. Male dolphins that form pair bonds with other males are often more successful at attracting and mating with females. Scientists assume the close bond between the males is a sign of strength and stability, which can appeal to females. Sometimes, both males may also join forces to keep one female away from other males so that they may both court the female for an extended period.
In addition, male pair bonds can also help dolphins preserve themselves against predators. Having a friend by their side allows dolphins to watch out for each other and provide protection against potential threats. This can help to increase their chances of survival in the unrestrained . Additionally, dolphins that