Seriously now? Do animals have anal sex?
Opinions differ on the subject of anal sex, there are such opinions and such. Some are into it and prefer it to vaginal sex (pussy sex). Others abhor the practice, calling it unnatural. The reason often given is that animals do not have anal sex. But is that really true? Do animals actually have anal intercourse?
Do animals really practice anal intercourse?
For a long time, this question was clearly answered in the negative. The question whether animals could have anal sex was categorically denied. In any case, something like this has only very rarely been observed in pets. Meanwhile, both attitudes toward sex and knowledge about animals have evolved. Today, anal sex is no longer considered perverted and unnatural, but a normal sex practice that is performed countless times every day. On the subject of anal sex, the principle applies that what pleases the sex partners and what does not violate applicable laws is permitted. There are also new insights into the interesting (and legitimate) question of whether or not animals have anal sex. The question is now clearly answered in the affirmative. To date, approximately 1,500 animal species have been shown to have at least occasional anal intercourse. About 500 species of animals have anal sex regularly.
Such behavior has been demonstrated in a wide variety of species, from insects to frogs to birds to mammals. Researchers suspect that all sexually reproducing animals have anal sex. Some animals have anal intercourse only rarely, in others it is the rule rather than an exception.
What are these findings based on?
In the field of sexual research, scientists are slowly realizing that human sexuality is not as unique as previously thought. Animals also have feelings and know such sensations as pleasure or frustration. Biologists used to believe that animals only engaged in sex for reproduction. Today we know that animals can also have sex just to satisfy their lust.
The progressive development of technology is also doing its part to answer the question of whether animals also practice anal sex. An extensive arsenal of equipment that did not exist before is now available for animal observation. These include mini cameras and trackers that can be attached to the animal’s body, drones equipped with cameras, or permanently mounted wildlife cameras. As a result, we now know much better about the biology and behavior of animals than we did a few years ago.
Which animals have anal sex especially often?
Observing giraffes in the wild revealed some amazing facts. In male giraffes, homosexuality is the rule rather than the exception. More than 90 percent of all males prefer to mate with another male, even if a female is nearby. In the process, the animals also have anal intercourse. Unique to giraffes, however, is that many animals seem to reach orgasm by rubbing their necks together.
In addition, there are also animals that practice anal sex on a daily basis. If you’ve never seen animals have anal sex, you only have to watch bonobos once. Bonobos are a slightly smaller species of chimpanzee with a completely different behavior. Common chimpanzees are aggressive, both toward conspecifics and toward other animals. There are constant power struggles and disputes over food or females.
The bonobos are quite different. They are gentle and stand by each other.
Solve conflicts through sex
On average, bonobos have sex every 90 minutes. All kinds of sex occur in the process. Males have anal sex, the females play lesbian games and there are always orgies in which every bonobo in the group has sex with the others. The young are raised together.
When bonobos discover food, for example a banana tree with ripe fruit, they do not fight over the food, but first have sex with each other. In the process, the animals also have anal sex. Once everyone is satisfied and relaxed, they divide the food among themselves. The bonobos show that animals can also have anal intercourse and that sex is a very good way to control aggression. Some people could take this as an example. Even the hippies in the sixties were known to be in favor of making love rather than going to war.
Practices like anal fisting, rimming or ass to mouth, however, are rather reserved for human representatives.
Are animals that have anal sex homosexual?
Do homosexual animals really exist?
During the mating season, competition for females is fierce among Japanese macaques. They compete not only with other males, but also with females. This is because in some populations, homosexual behavior by women is not only common, but the norm.
It is known that this is very common in the animal kingdom. So can we say that there are homosexual animals? Here are some clues as to whether animals have anal sex for pleasure and are homosexual.
Animals and anal sex – behavior in the spotlight
Although homosexual behavior and animals having anal sex had been observed for decades, it was considered an anomaly. At first glance, homosexual relationships between animals don’t seem to make sense. But nature proves the opposite. Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection states that genes must be passed on to the next generation if they are not to disappear.
Any gene that increases the likelihood that an animal will engage in sexual relations with another animal of the same sex is less likely to be passed on to the next generation than genes that favor heterosexuality. This would make homosexuality disappear quickly. However, this is clearly not the case. For many animals, homosexual behavior is normal. The combination animals/anal sex is also more common.
According to the theory of evolution
Animals and anal sex? Doesn’t sound very nature-friendly, does it? In some cases, there is a clear evolutionary reason. In one species of beetle (Tribolium or Tenebrio), for example, the males mount each other and deposit their sperm. If a male with the sperm of another male later copulates with a female, he can transfer the sperm to the female.
Bonobos
Animals have anal sex, for example bonobos: In bonobos, the function of sex goes far beyond reproduction. Perhaps it is better to take a cue from our closest relatives: the monkeys. Bonobos, for example, have sex surprisingly often, and homosexual sex too. But among them, sex has a broader role: it helps strengthen social ties. Younger males use sex to deepen their relationships with more dominant members of the group. Males rub their genitals together after a fight – an act known as “penis wrestling” – to relieve tension. With these animals, the question “Animals and anal sex?” is definitely yes! Sexual behavior, including homosexuality, is not only related to procreation. However, they also cannot be strictly described as homosexual.
Sheep
Up to 8% of males in hordes prefer another male. Only two species have been observed to prefer an individual of the same sex for life, even when individuals of the opposite sex are available. In humans, of course, and in domestic sheep.
This case is different from the others because it is not apparent how this preference can benefit men. How can this preference for other males be passed on if males do not reproduce?
The answer is that homosexual men are unlikely to benefit, but others who have the same genes and can pass them on to the next generation will. Neuroscientists suggest that the same gene that promotes homosexuality in male sheep may also increase fertility or the desire to mate in female sheep. However, these lifelong preferences have only been observed in domesticated sheep. It is unclear whether this is also the case for wild sheep.
Domesticated sheep are bred to produce as many females as possible, which may have led to an increase in homosexual males. The scientists concluded that only in humans could “true” homosexuality be demonstrated.
Conclusion
When you hear “animals and anal sex”, a homosexual thought immediately comes to mind. We will probably never find a wild animal that is strictly homosexual, as humans are. However, there are also many who do not fit the traditional categories of sexual orientation. Animals use sex to satisfy all sorts of needs, from sexual pleasure to social advancement. And that means being flexible.
And by the way: When animals have anal sex with each other, that is of course something completely different than when humans and animals enjoy each other. And when a human being lets himself be penetrated anally by an animal, one is already in completely different spheres again. Vaginal sex with animals and humans is well known, but anal sex should be much less common.
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