Homosexuals animal mating. Homosexuals among animals

MythLGBT propaganda about “1500 species of animals”

In 2016, the American organization " Russian Foundation Freedom", created to support the Russian LGBT communities allocated 54 grants for the promotion of homosexuality, amounting to almost 2 million dollars. One of the principles of this propaganda: “Constantly remind straight people that homosexuality is common and natural phenomenon. The more innate and widespread it is presented, the less abnormal and more acceptable it will appear to straight people.” Following this principle, the famous homo propaganda minion from Minsk, in his custom video, voices myths about homosexuality in the animal world and makes a lot of false statements, the analysis of which is the subject of this article.

Statement 1: “In nature, homosexuality is the perfect norm.”

First of all, let's deal with such a term of pederastic newspeak as "homosexuality", which implies parity with "heterosexuality".

In the relevant literature, psychological attraction to one's own sex is described as “homosexuality,” and behavior based on such attraction is “homosexuality.” It may well turn out that a person who is characterized by homosexuality will never engage in homosexuality, and vice versa - a person who has never experienced attraction to the same sex will begin to engage in homosexuality, for example, when he gets to places that are not so remote, or due to industrial necessity.

According to the WHO, homosexuality is “exclusive or predominant sexual attraction to persons of the same sex, with physical relationships or without them."

There is not a single animal that fits this definition, since no individual in nature is exclusively homosexual and does not prefer a sexual partner of the same sex to the opposite one, if he has a choice. Frank Beach, one of the world's leading researchers of animal sexual behavior, wrote that he does not know of a single reliable example of a male or female in the animal kingdom preferring a partner of the same sex. “Females can mount females, and males can mount males, but without insertion of the penis or climax... This behavior can hardly be called sexual, a more accurate definition would be “mounting behavior”... If they had the opportunity, they would rather would jump on the female.” Sometimes such cage behavior can be observed in socio-hierarchical rituals, such as expression of dominance or favor.

Thus, in the animal world there is no “homosexuality”, but there is same-sex behavior, which often does not have the slightest sexual context. Perhaps the most precise definition for same-sex behavior in animals, if human conventions are extrapolated to them, it will be " occasional forced bisexuality" This behavior is observed only under unfavorable circumstances - with overpopulation, lack of individuals of the opposite sex, or in artificially created unnatural conditions. Sexual behavior in animals lower in development than chimpanzees is an involuntary reaction to hormonal changes in the body caused by the influence of external stimuli, the control and awareness of which disappear as the intelligence animal. For example, it’s spring time, the grass turns green, the sun is shining, and the animal’s breeding program starts. If individuals of the opposite sex are unavailable, it may well happen that programmed behavior will result in ersatz, as in the example of the bull and the motorcycle.

At the same time, not a single animal in nature loses its natural attraction to opposite sex and carries it out at the first opportunity. Therefore, to say that a dog who jumped on another dog is “homosexual” is just as absurd as to say that a dog who jumped on an old woman is a gerontophile, or that a dog who sensed heat on the frozen corpse of a downed bitch is a necrophiliac.

In any case, this behavior only represents imitation sexual intercourse, since real copulation between animals of the same sex is impossible for purely anatomical reasons. Even ape-like male bonobos do not put anything in each other's mouths or intestines, as some representatives of the species Homo Sapience do, but only hit their scrotums in hierarchical showdowns devoid of sexual overtones.

Now let’s look at what “norm” is.

The concept of norm is very vague. In the popular sense, it is understood as a generally accepted rule. In medicine and psychology, the norm is considered to be a state of the body that does not interfere with its functioning. In statistics, what falls within the 68% range is considered normalized.

In the animal kingdom, same-sex behavior, which in most cases is not even sexual, has been documented for approximately 450 species, while described and cataloged 953,434 species of animals. Dividing 450 by 953.434 we see that same-sex behavior in the animal kingdom tends to zero: 0.04%, that is, as far as possible from the norm and lies far beyond the limits of the most marginal deviation. Thus, this is not a generally accepted rule, but an exception to it. The only rule in nature is procreation. The bodies of the sexes are created for reproduction and no amount of verbiage will change this fact. Perverted forms of homosexual intercourse, in which organs of the digestive tract that do not have the necessary characteristics are used as genitals, are always destructive and fraught with the most serious consequences.

« Homosexuality"is a reproductive disorder that stops the transmission of DNA to offspring, and the long chain of previous generations breaks. This cannot be normal either from an evolutionary-biological or from a psychiatric point of view. That is why, until politicians intervened in science, homosexuality was always on the list of mental disorders.

Nature is an amazingly expedient and refined mechanism with the highest coefficient useful action. The assumption that for some reason nature has created non-reproductive types of “orientations” that squander vital resources and waste sexual energy - absurd. Nowhere in nature is such wastefulness observed. Nature is inherently “heterosexist”: it strives for heterosexuality, and this is fundamental to our survival. Mutual complementarity of the sexes and heterosexuality are the norm in animal and human biology.

A perversion in the classical definition is considered to be: “any manifestation of the sexual instinct that does not correspond to the goals of nature (i.e., reproduction), provided that there is the possibility of natural sexual satisfaction. It is necessary to distinguish between the perversion of sexual desire and the perversion of sexual acts, since the latter are not necessarily caused by psychopathology.” That is, perversion is not determined by a separate sexual act not aimed at procreation, but a general sexual desire not aimed at procreation. This phenomenon has no analogues in nature with the exception of representatives of one species - Homo Sapience.

Now, speaking about people, according to the WHO definition: a norm is “an ethical standard and pattern of behavior considered as desirable, acceptable and typical for a particular culture.”

In the vast majority of countries in the world, the homosexual model of behavior is neither typical nor desirable, and is not at all perceived by society as an ethical standard, and therefore does not belong to the norm. The results of an international survey among psychiatrists about their attitudes towards homosexuality showed that the vast majority consider homosexuality as a deviant behavior, although it was excluded from the list of mental disorders.

Statement 2: “Female Japanese macaques, even with an abundance of motivated males, prefer females, regularly mate with them and have orgasms. They form stable lesbian couples for the sake of pleasure...”

It's incredible how much vile and unscrupulous lies can be contained in one sentence. Here we are talking about the study “Sex Partner Preference in Female Japanese Macaques.” First of all, the study was carried out in captivity, where there was no “abundance” of males: 11 females was only present one male. Same-sex non-sexual behavior of females, where there was no trace of orgasm, was observed only during mating season, and was temporary (one hour to one week) rather than “regular” or “sustained.” This only happened in some groups, only in some females, and only if a certain male was with them. To summarize, the author himself points out a direct connection between insufficient number of males and choice of same-sex partners.

The summary of the study states that "female Japanese macaques are best characterized as bisexual," but when you read the study itself, you will find that it The content does not match either the summary or the title. Author, outspoken gay activist, manipulatively uses the terms “sexual partner” and “bisexuality,” although the study does not describe anything that could be attributed to sexual behavior.

Thus, “homosexual partnership” is defined as “the partial or complete mounting of one female on another, followed by sitting or lying on her back.” This climbing is accompanied by “sexual harassment,” which is defined as “pushing, hitting, grabbing, slapping the ground, head shaking, screaming, lip quivering, body spasms, and staring.” From the following description it becomes clear what is happening here social ritual done for the sake of protection of a dominant partner, which temporarily increases the status of a subordinate. That is, this is not sexual behavior, but a manifestation of dominance and submission. The author, by hook or by crook, tries to present this ritual in a sexual context, although he himself admits that “it would be a mistake to characterize these relationships as exclusively sexual.” In the study, 11 females were locked in a room with 1 young male, and a portion of the females who appeared to were of a higher rank than him, preferred to spend time with each other rather than with him. It's the same as locking a group of girls in a room with one pimply nerd, and say: “yeah, they communicate with each other, but not with him - homosexual preference!” Nevertheless, nature took its toll and in the end 9 females gave themselves to him. What was observed here was not a violation of sexual desire, but only atypical behavior caused by unnatural conditions and a lack of individuals of the opposite sex. It should be noted that the experimental subjects were descendants of a group of macaques captured back in 1972 , that is, this is not the first generation born in captivity, and the naturalness of their habits is very doubtful. It should not be forgotten that the sexual behavior of such lowly developed animals as macaques in general devoid of any hedonic motivation"for pleasure".

Statement 3: “Some species of gulls form stable female pairs...”

The study "Sex Ratios in Western Gulls" states that in the western gull colony on Santa Barbara Island there are only 3 males for every 5 females. Since these birds are physically deprived of the opportunity to create natural pairs, 10% of females, after mating with males, form partnerships with other females in order to jointly take care of offspring. While one gets food for itself, the other hatches eggs or guards the chicks, after which they change. Is this comparable to as if a grandmother and mother were taking care of a child while living in the same apartment- while one is at work or in the store, the other is taking care of the child, but gay activists persistently call this phenomenon in birds “homosexuality.”

Statement 4: “In the dark-mantled albatross, a third of all pairs are homosexual... 25% of black swans... 15% of greylag geese.”

The study he refers to is called "Successful Same-Sex Couples in the Dark-backed Albatross." It was carried out in a Hawaiian albatross colony, in which The number of females outnumbers the number of males almost twice, therefore, 31% of females, having copulated with males, create partnerships with each other to incubate and feed the chicks. However, compared to opposite-sex pairs, female pairs have a lower chick hatching rate ( 41% compared to 87% for normal couples) and lower reproductive success ( 31% compared to 67%). That is, this study not only does not confirm the presence of same-sex attraction in nature, but also demonstrates the inferiority of same-sex couples compared to normal couples. Here we again see forced excess in conditions of deprivation, without any attempts at sexual satisfaction.

In geese and swans, same-sex pair formation occurs differently. Researcher Konrad Lorenz called this the “imprinting fallacy.” In laminated-billed birds (and not only) there is a critical period, sometimes lasting only a few hours from the moment of their birth, in which a rapid and irreversible “ imprinting»stable attachment to any moving object. In theory, this should be the mother, but if she is not nearby at the right moment, the chick will be imprinted on one of its fellows, or even on humans and inanimate objects. This is how lifelong affection arises between individuals of the same sex in these monogamous birds. At the same time, Lorenz notes, their behavior never sexual in nature.

They can perform courtship rituals and even take a mating position, but that’s all. Copulation occurs only with individuals of the opposite sex, after which same-sex couples carefully care for the offspring. It should also be noted that these studies were carried out mainly in captivity rather than in natural conditions.

Thus, all birds mentioned here no sexual desire disorder or parental instinct, like some people in our society who, with an abundance of funds and partners, refuse to have children or heterosexual relationships. Therefore, it is unclear how same-sex partnerships among birds are comparable to what is happening in the ranks of LGBT people. All these examples only prove once again that in nature there is only one orientation - to procreation, and everything else is disorientation unique to one species- Homo Sapiens.

Statement 5: “Bonobos regularly have sex with members of the same sex.”

Bonobos are a species unique in their sexuality, in many ways representing an exception. They use elements of sexual behavior to express friendliness and defuse conflict situations. That is, their same-sex behavior is not based on sexual desire, and it is observed only in female bonobos, who can rub each other in a social ritual, not in the slightest degree without losing interest in males. While macaques express their affection for a fellow animal by searching for something in its fur, female bonobos do this through tribadism. Again, there is no violation of the reproductive instinct and heterosexual behavior, as in humans.

Statement 6: “Half of the contacts elephants have are homosexual.”

Elephants, like all other herd animals, have the right to reproduce. only the best and strongest male, which courtes all females and drives away all weaker males. Females are simply not physically available to young and weak males, but nature demands them - the air is full of stimulating smells, good weather, hormones are off the charts.

If a male does not have a female of his own species nearby, he will court a female of another species. If there is no female, it will court the male, if there is no male, it will court an inanimate object. The programmed behavior will spill out onto a more and more generalized object. This is just an ersatz, a replacement, just like a leg for a dog.

Statement 7: “8% of rams consistently show attraction exclusively to individuals of the same sex.”

This anomaly is associated with unnatural growing conditions and is observed only in animals in captivity. The lambs, from the moment of separation from the mother until the first attempt at copulation at the age of one and a half years, were kept in same-sex groups. Exclusive contact with members of the same sex and lack of social experience with females led to the fact that one third of all healthy rams in the population lost the ability to mate with ewes. When such rams were put in a pen in which there were two females and two males, seeing a female for the first time in their lives, they did not perceive her as a suitable object. Therefore, some of the males in this category showed interest only in males that were familiar to them. Like the birds discussed above here imprinting has occurred, since during the critical period of development there were only males in their environment.

However, having subsequently found ourselves in mixed groups, almost all males have caught up and developed a heterosexual preference. From the group of 24 rams only 1 couldn't do it. Subsequent studies have shown that the earlier the rams become acquainted with females, the less likely this behavior will be, even if the acquaintance is purely visual, through a fence.

Leading researcher of animal sexual behavior Frank Beach says physical sexual gestures such as courtship rituals and mating are ingrained at birth, but how, when and with whom to use them can be learned only through relationships in society in contact with other individuals. A recent study from California Institute of Technology fully confirmed his observations: the neural circuits responsible for gender recognition are not entirely innate. They cannot be formed without social experience, that is, without interaction with females. In an experiment on mice, communication with females during only 30 minutes was sufficient for the neurons of young males to acquire “sexual” differentiation, while this did not happen in animals that were in contact only with males.

Statement 8: “Drosophila flies”

Recognition of a mating partner in these flies, as in many animals, depends on visual, acoustic and chemical signals - pheromones. Some mutated males lost the ability to sense the male pheromone "tricosene-7" and by mistake trying to court male flies. This is not because they are attracted to males, but because, unable to correctly recognize the signal, they mistake them for females. Researchers call this " gender blindness” and emphasize that same-sex courtship is an atypical behavior associated with maladaptive functioning nervous system. At the same time, they note that such males do not show any changes in heterosexual courtship or copulation.

Statement 9: “Homosexual behavior has been identified in 1,500 species.”

According to the unfounded statement of gay activists who organized a photo exhibition of same-sex animal behavior in Oslo in 2006, “homosexual behavior has been observed in more than 1,500 species " However, there is no evidence of this. We can just as easily say that levitation has been observed in 10 species of unicorns. Same-sex behavior has only been documented in just over 450 species, including cases of sexual behavior - isolated.

Pedophilia

Cannibalism

Infanticide

LGBT lobby, paying for such stuffing is ready to stand on the same level of development with flies and sheep, just to prove the natural origin of his aberrance, but one should not confuse the norm and a natural deviation from the norm. Just because a phenomenon exists in animals does not mean it is normal. If animals can have sex with anyone and anything, that doesn't mean people have to do the same. Animals are also characterized by pedophilia, coprophagia, incest, rape, cannibalism, murder, infanticide, theft and even homosexual necrophilia, but would it even occur to anyone to advocate for acceptability these phenomena in our society, based on their presence in the animal world?

No animal can control its own instincts, while a person, if he is, of course, mentally healthy, has such an ability. Animals do not have conscious choice, rational thinking; cannot plan their actions, evaluate their consequences, and even realize their essence or enjoy copulation (with the exception of large apes and dolphins). Therefore, deliberately distorted and manipulative verbiage about the homosexuality of animals - pure nonsense.

The scientific status quo remains unchanged: same-sex sexual behavior is unique to humans and practically has no analogues among non-human animals.

Homosexuality is not the norm - it is a deviation!

Impositionhomosexuality

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Scientific research shows an amazing diversity of animals that engage in same-sex relationships. In this amazing list, you'll find "lesbian albatrosses" from Hawaii, male dolphins who have boyfriends, and same-sex gull couples who take young ones to fly together.

(Total 10 photos)

We're often told to recommend sheep when we want to fall asleep, but the natural behavioral tendencies of rams are actually keeping scientists from sleeping soundly. Domestic sheep are the most numerous gay mammals. Scientific studies have shown that 8% of males can form pairs exclusively with males, refusing any contact with females. These same-sex couples do not mate, but they act as a couple throughout their lives. Homosexual flocks stand out as an example of different relationship statuses among animals, but of course they are less popular among farmers who strive to obtain as many sheep as possible.

2. Leysan albatrosses

In 2007, scientists studying Laysan albatrosses from Oahu noted that 60% of the birds were female, and 31% of all albatross pairs were lesbian. These pairs of females exhibit all the characteristics of closely bonded pairs, and also engage in nesting, kissing, and a variety of other attributes of breeding albatross behavior. Same-sex couples can survive just like traditional ones - in one case, it lasted as long as 19 years. In New Zealand, same-sex royal albatross pairs have recently discovered a tendency to nest together, suggesting the phenomenon may be widespread.

3. Bottlenose dolphins

Dolphins have positioned themselves at the top tier of animal intelligence, with cognitive and social abilities comparable to chimpanzees and humans. There is great diversity in dolphin society, including numerous same-sex relationships. In one incredible case, a gay dolphin couple went through a 17-year relationship while researchers identified an entire pod of dolphins made up entirely of males who turned out to be bisexual and had no shortage of romance, enjoying passionate encounters with members of the same sex or vice versa.

Bonobos, which resemble miniature chimpanzees, are not only among the most intelligent animals in the world, but are also humans' closest relatives. Living in colonies, bonobos are more good-natured than their often aggressive chimpanzee relatives. They are known for using the language of love rather than aggression to solve problems and communicate with each other. Since many conflicts occur between two males or between two females, homosexual relationships have become common among these monkeys. Sexual contacts are more common among females, but also occur among males, and contacts take the “play-fight” format. Bonobos are critically endangered and require maximum conservation efforts from environmentalists.

5. Rooster from Gibraltar

The Cock of Gibraltar is a striking woodland songbird that has an extremely bright appearance, which combines shiny orange feathers with a huge crest. It is noteworthy that up to 40% of males of this species engage in same-sex sexual activity. Unlike sea birds, only males of this species engage in homosexual contacts. It is possible that gay behavior is associated with high population density, as well as extensive male competition for females. Same-sex contact also satisfies the birds' desire to express their promiscuity and high mating potential, thereby increasing social stability among the birds.

6. African lions

African lions, which attract harems of females, often act as symbols of traditional dominance, especially in patriarchal societies. However, a certain percentage of male African lions leave available females in order to create their own same-sex groups. Male lions have been observed interacting with other males and exhibiting behavioral nuances characteristic of same-sex couples. And although many other animal communities are structured in the same way, which may sometimes benefit same-sex mating, the reason for the male association of lions is unknown. Lions have one of the strongest sex drives among felines, which means that interactions are likely more...directed than the same sex among birds or rams.

7. Waterfowl and penguins

Homosexual behavior has been documented among wild Australian black swans, which sometimes form triadic communities involving two males when determining nesting sites. Incredibly, these two-male encounters actually resulted in increased reproduction due to the males' effectiveness in protecting the nest from predators. Additionally, two male penguins made headlines after they laid an egg and successfully hatched it. Before they got their eggs, gay penguins tried to steal eggs from opposite-sex penguin couples. Ornithologists studying this phenomenon have concluded that, in general, male pairs in birds form among the most sexually promiscuous species of songbirds, while female pairs form among monogamous species. While this behavior has naturally evolved among some bird species, scientific research has suggested that the increase in same-sex behavior among South American ibises may be the result of mercury contamination, which alters sex hormones.

8. Western gulls

Western gulls are similar to Laysan albatrosses, but are actually more closely related to puffins. Convergent evolution gave them similarities to the great albatrosses, along with a similar mating system, sometimes involving two females. Scientific expeditions to California's Channel Islands have shown that at least 14% of gull pairs consist of two females. This diversity was first noticed in the colonies when some nests showed surprising a large number of eggs Some of the eggs were even fertilized, due to connections with males on the side.

Young giraffe males sometimes engage in same-sex intercourse and short-term alliances before mating with a female. This activity may include tongue kissing, neck massage and cuddling, as well as full body contact. Scientists speculate that the purpose of same-sex interactions is to become familiar with mating techniques before presenting them to the female giraffe. In the small community that is the giraffe herd, the idea is to build the right relationships with the females by testing the techniques on a few males.

10. Dragonflies

It's a fact: insects can be gay. Dragonflies are among the most highly evolved predators in the insect world, and also display some of the most spectacular aerial dancing and serious sensory interactions with other dragonflies. But the presence of the opposite sex is not always a necessary condition for dragonfly dates; studies have shown an unexpectedly high rate of mating between same-sex dragonflies. Understanding the causes of same-sex relationships among such small invertebrates is challenging, and the interactions are poorly understood even today. Chemistry environment and the absence of partners may be one of the factors influencing the mating behavior of dragonflies.

Scientific research shows a surprising number of animals that engage in same-sex relationships. In this list, we look at lesbian albatrosses in Hawaii, male dolphins mating with each other, and same-sex gull couples adopting young. Big surprises always await us in the animal world:

10. Rams

We are often told to count sheep when we can't sleep, but the habits of sheep keep scientists awake. Domestic sheep are statistically one of the gayest mammals on Earth. Research has shown that up to a staggering 8 percent of male sheep engage in exclusively same-sex relationships, completely neglecting the females.

These same-sex couples do not mate, but in all other aspects of their lives they act like a couple. Homosexual flocks are an example of the various bonds between animals, but they are of course frowned upon by farmers who want their sheep to reproduce as much as possible.

9. Dark-backed albatrosses

In 2007, scientists studying dusky albatrosses on the island of Oahu noted that 60% of the birds were female, and 31% of all albatross pairs were lesbian. These pairs of females showed all the signs of a close relationship: they built nests, kissed with beaks and did everything that other albatrosses do during breeding.

Dark-mantled albatrosses are very aggressive with strangers - indicating that accepting another female is truly about creating a lasting pair. Same-sex relationships can last as long as traditional ones—in one case, as long as 19 years. A same-sex pair of royal albatross was recently found caring for a nest together in New Zealand, indicating that the phenomenon may be quite common.

8. Bottlenose dolphins

Dolphins are at the pinnacle of intelligence among animals and can match both chimpanzees and humans in social relationships and cognitive abilities. There is great diversity in dolphin societies, and numerous same-sex relationships have been discovered.

In one incredible case, a pair of same-sex dolphins were in a relationship for seventeen years, and researchers noticed an entire pod of all-male dolphins whose members had no shortage of romantic relationships. It became obvious that dolphin relationships are very strong, no matter what their orientation. Many dolphins are bisexual, enjoying passionate relationships with both the same sex and the opposite sex.

7. Bonobos

Bonobos, which look like miniature chimpanzees (they are even called pygmy chimpanzees), are not only one of the most intelligent animals in the world, but also the closest relatives to humans. Bonobos live in social colonies and are considered less aggressive than common chimpanzees. They are known for choosing peaceful ways to solve problems and communicate with each other.

Due to the fact that many conflicts arise between two males or females, homosexual relationships are common among these loving monkeys. Sexual intercourse can increase status among females, but it also occurs among males, who are more likely to engage in playful combat. Bonobos are critically endangered and much effort is needed to conserve them.

6. Cocks of the Rocks

Andean cocks of the rocks are beautiful forest song passerines that combine bright orange coloring and a huge crest. Natural selection has led to strange decorations in plumage. Surprisingly, up to 40% of males of this bird species engage in same-sex relationships.

Unlike the previously mentioned seabirds, only the males of this species seek out homosexual relationships. This behavior may be driven by high population density and excessive competition for the attention of females. Same-sex relationships satisfy the birds' desire to express their highly developed lust, which helps maintain stability in a society of aggressive birds.

5. African lions

African lions are often associated with traditionalism, especially in patriarchal societies where harems exist. However, a certain percentage of African lions prefer same-sex gatherings to females.

Male lions mount other males and exhibit behaviors that are commonly seen in opposite-sex pairs. Despite the fact that many societies of other animals are organized in such a way that individuals sometimes engage in same-sex relationships, there is no explanation for the behavior of male lions. Lions have one of the strongest sex drives among cats, so most likely such relationships are more “intimate” than the relationships among sheep and birds.

4. Waterfowl and penguins

Homosexual behavior has been observed in populations of wild Australian black swans, which sometimes form two-male trinities during nesting. Surprisingly, such two-male relationships increase the chance of successful reproduction due to the males' ability to defend the nest from predators.

Two male penguins were recently in the news after they paired up at a zoo and were given an egg, which they successfully raised. Before they were given a separate egg, gay penguins tried to steal eggs from straight couples.

Ornithologists studying the phenomenon have noticed that, generally speaking, male pairs are formed more often among song passerines, and pairs of two females are formed in monogamous species. Although this behavior evolved naturally in some bird species, research suggests that an increase in same-sex relationships among South American ibises may be a consequence mercury pollution, which affects sex hormones.

3. Western gulls

Western gulls look similar to dusky albatrosses, but they are actually related to puffins. Co-evolution has given them similarities to giant albatrosses, as well as a similar mating system - again with two females. Passionate pairs of seagulls sometimes even climb on top of each other.

Expeditions to the Channel Islands showed that at least 14% of western gull pairs consisted of two females. This diversity in colonies was first noticed when some nests contained surprisingly large numbers of eggs. Some of these eggs were even fertilized during external mating with males.

2. Giraffes

Young male giraffes sometimes engage in short-term same-sex relationships before they begin to mate with females. Bonding includes tongue kissing, neck massage and cuddling, as well as full body contact and petting. Scientists believe that such connections help develop mating techniques before males begin courting females. In a relatively dense society, which is a herd of giraffes, it is important to start your relationships with females on the right foot, so you can start by practicing on your brothers.

1. Dragonflies

Insects can be gay - that's a fact. Dragonflies are among the insect world's most highly evolved predators, and they are also among the most demonstrative - performing impressive aerial ballets as well as engaging in passionate relationships with other dragonflies.

However, being of the opposite sex is not a necessary precondition for courtship among dragonflies: according to research, amorous encounters among same-sex dragonflies are surprisingly common. Understanding the reasons for same-sex relationships in such small invertebrates is very difficult, and even this moment they are poorly studied. The influence of habitat and the absence of partners may be some of the factors that influence the behavior of dragonflies during mating.

Caused heated debate among readers. The main argument of critics boiled down to the statement: “Homosexuality also exists in animals, therefore it is natural a natural phenomenon" Who and when proved this fact, accepted by many as an axiom? We did not believe the unfounded allegations and turned to experts for clarification.

The answers from specialists are usually unpredictable. You go into an interview as if you are ready for anything. But as a result, you still get something unexpected. Here it is now. It would seem that there are only two possible answers to the question “is there homosexuality in animals?” Either yes or no. But it turns out that everything is not so simple.

My interlocutors are zoologists Elena Fedorovich and Irina Voschanova. They are colleagues, stand on approximately the same scientific positions and are generally quite unanimous. I address each one in turn:

— Elena, tell me, are there homosexual couples among animals?

- Irina, what do you say? Do animals have sexual relations with members of the same sex?

- Yes, as much as you like.

“Well, we’ve talked,” flashes through my head. Seeing my confusion, Elena Fedorovich comes to the rescue and we finally start a conversation about how to ask questions correctly, what scientific truth is, and why you can’t compare people with animals.

Elena Fedorovich: Let's start with the definition of homosexuality. What do you think this is? What will we look for in animals?

— Homosexuality is sexual attraction to a person of the same sex.

Irina Voschanova: I would be careful about using the word attraction in relation to animals. Because otherwise we will very quickly begin to project our own feelings onto animals.

Elena Fedorovich: If we imagine homosexuality as a relationship between two lovers, then animals do not have this. “Lovers” is a human category. But with animals everything is simpler. Their sexual behavior performs two functions - reproduction and maintaining social connections. With reproduction, everything is clear: two individuals come together for the sake of reproduction. Here, interest in a partner of the same sex is simply impossible. The male is looking for a female. Female - male.

Irina Voschanova: In some species, sexual behavior is limited to this. Let's say, in solitary animals. Well, for example, bears. The male and female are together only during the female's rutting season. When the rut ends, they part, the male leaves and remains alone. Everything here is clear and unambiguous.

Elena Fedorovich: But many species use elements of sexual behavior to build relationships and interaction within the group. And in this case, sexual behavior has a different meaning - not sexual. It is fundamentally. Here are primates, for example. They live in complexly structured numerous groups, where there are many males and many females. Within such groups, their own relationships develop, each individual occupies a specific place. And elements of sexual behavior are often used by males to maintain a coalition. This has nothing to do with homosexuality, they are simply confirming their friendship in this way. In general, animals often use behavioral elements from different functional areas for interaction. You see, animals have neither taboos nor ideas of decency. They use all organs openly and equally. In our zoo, for example, you can see such a picture. When female baboons go down to eat, the male sits in a particularly demonstrative manner, showing his genitals. Some of the visitors drag their children away so that they don’t see, while others, on the contrary, stand giggling, “Oh, what a shameless person!” But no one sees the real meaning of what is happening. And the point is that the baboon is worried: people crowded together, and the females came out to eat. He needs to protect them! HE is not shameless or a pervert. He exhibits protective behavior. Why does it appear this way? I don’t know, it happened this way evolutionarily. But this is in no way sexual behavior. This is an element of demonstration behavior using a part of the animal's body. And man refracts this through his cultural norms and imposes on the animal’s behavior those functions that are not characteristic of it.

Irina Voschanova: Let's take the most common example. Two female dogs are walking, one is trying to mount the other - she climbs onto her croup with her front paws. This is not sexual behavior, it is an expression of dominance. When two animals are approximately equal, it is very uncomfortable for both of them. There must be some predictable difference between “I” and “she.” And these relationships are sometimes clarified in this way. This is no longer maintaining a friendly connection that we talked about earlier. This behavior signals “you and I, friend, are both good, but I am more confident and in some sense more important.”

Elena Fedorovich: Owners sometimes giggle when a dog jumps on them. Sometimes they even think that this is a special manifestation of a dog’s love for them. Nothing like this! These are all the same elements of sexual behavior built into the context of maintaining relationships between humans and animals. A dog cage is a demonstration of dominance, in in this case dogs over the owner.

Irina Voschanova: In short, we answer your question. Cases of mating between same-sex individuals in nature are unknown to us.

— Is there also male-male courtship in nature?

Elena Fedorovich: Can be. Doves, for example. If they haven't had the opportunity to meet a female of their own species for a long time, they will court anyone. They have nothing to choose from, but nature demands it. Long daylight hours, warmth, hormones play. If there is no female of his own species near the male, he will court a female of another species. If there is no female, she will look after the male; if there is no male, she will look after an inanimate object - for example, a crumpled handkerchief. This is called a courtship display. Behavior spills over to an increasingly generalized stimulus.

“Then explain to me where the now generally accepted assertion that there are homosexual animals came from?”

Irina Voschanova: Because there really are elements of sexual behavior with individuals of the same sex. The whole question is in a small detail - whether they mate at the same time. If we are talking about real mating, there is no homosexuality in the animal world; if we are talking about sexual behavior, there is.

Elena Fedorovich: But the function of this behavior is different. The trouble is that elements of sexual behavior are taken out of context and interpreted based on our human experience. We are increasingly gravitating towards anthropomorphism - that is, we identify ourselves with animals, and animals with ourselves. This is not a scientific approach at all. Unfortunately, in science this is done left and right - the systemic vision of the situation is destroyed. Nowadays interpretation based on individual facts is popular. One male jumped on another - everything was recorded. And the fact that this has a different meaning for animals no longer worries anyone. It’s the same as if a doctor, based on one single symptom of “sore throat,” diagnoses “purulent tonsillitis.” We will all say that this is a bad doctor. A good doctor, before making a conclusion, will examine you, analyze all the symptoms and draw up a complete picture of the disease. So we, as scientists, must consider the situation as a whole, and not pull out from it what can be interpreted to our liking...

— In general, how correct is it to appeal to animals when discussing some phenomena of human life?

Elena Fedorovich: Incorrect. An animal has no moral choice. And that's the main thing. In addition, animals live here and now and cannot assess the consequences of their actions. And, accordingly, they do not bear responsibility for their actions. Therefore, any comparison of a person with an animal, in my opinion, is speculative. And when they say that man is the crown of nature, and animals are brainless creatures. And vice versa, that they are better than us. This is all speculation. You can't compare. They also have legs, a head and other organs, but this does not mean that we are the same. What is happening to them is good and right for them. We have something else planned. Because we have will, the ability to choose and bear responsibility for this choice.

Fedorovich Elena Yurievna

Graduated from the Faculty of Psychology of Moscow State University. Works in the laboratory of zoopsychology at the Department of General Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Moscow State University. Area of scientific interests: animal behavior in situations of novelty (exploratory behavior), interaction between people and animals, problems of anthropomorphism

Voshchanova Irina Pavlovna

Graduated from the Faculty of Biology of Moscow State University. She has been working at the Moscow Zoo for 25 years, of which the last 15 years have been in the scientific research department. Area of scientific interests: animal behavior, pathological behavior and methods of its correction.

Few members of the animal class can boast of such loyalty as is found among wild geese. Monogamy is common among them, many spending their ten-year adult life side by side with the same partner, accepting another only if the first one dies. This wonderful illustration of fidelity is a relationship that some people may find unnatural.

But at the same time, quite a lot of geese turn out to be homosexuals. According to some estimates, as much as 20 percent (1). This number may be higher: the calculations given include only those ganders that first take a male as a mate but later mate with a female, or those whose first relationship was with a female but who after her death paired with a representative of the same sex. However, among these birds there are many exclusively homosexual couples - from beginning to end.

The question arises: why?

This has puzzled many scientists - both those who study wild geese and those who study hundreds of other species of animals, among which, surprisingly, homosexuality has also been discovered. After all, evolution is driven by reproduction. Animals need a union of opposite sexes. Viewed from the perspective of reproductive success, homosexuality appears to be counterproductive, if not abnormal. However, given its ubiquity, this type of sexual behavior is of course the norm.

From a scientific point of view, the question is: as Kurt Kotrschal, a behavioral biologist at the University of Vienna, puts it, “has homosexuality really persisted because there was some kind of stabilizing selection?” ⓘ One of the forms of natural selection that favors the preservation of the optimal phenotype under given conditions in a population. — Approx. ed., or is it an inevitable product of brain development? Was homosexuality beneficial to the great evolutionary march, or was it something that suddenly arose and spread?

Researchers don't have a clear answer. Not even Kotrschal, who studied wild geese for decades while working at a research station named after the late, great zoologist Konrad Lorenz, whose most famous research involved the same bird (2).

Lorenz himself considered homosexuality to be beneficial. “We can be sure that each of these instincts has a special significance for survival,” he noted in 1963, describing how mating male pairs often achieve dominance in a goose colony. Their superiority in turn attracts solitary geese, with whom one gander may copulate briefly before returning its attention to the true object of its affection, as Lorenz observes. In this light, homosexuality promotes reproduction. This is just one possible explanation; but there are many more of them.

Other scientists have suggested that gay couples might serve some important social duty (3), such as helping raise other couples' goslings or protecting colonies from predators. This would help relatives of same-sex couples, not themselves. This well-known evolutionary strategy, called kin selection, can be illustrated by the lives of bee workers who forgo reproduction and sacrifice themselves for the well-being of the hive.

Cautreshal himself does not think this is the case - there is not enough evidence of obvious assistance to his nephews among the wild geese, although this may manifest itself in other, more subtle ways. Perhaps homosexuality is an inevitable by-product of the emotional processes that fuel partners' desire to mate: it is impossible to enjoy heterosexual intercourse without some satiation.

Or, since homosexuality appears to be more common in species where one sex takes on parental responsibilities, perhaps this type of sexual behavior occurs when one sex has more free time (4). A harmless indulgence that may also explain why wild geese homosexuality correlates with sex ratios. If there are many more males than females, then it is obvious that some of these males will pay attention to each other and will be involved in close communication. If we talk about species in which social status is of paramount importance, individuals who do not have pairs are intimidated, demoted in status and “evicted” to a separate plot of land, then in this context, being a same-sex couple is more profitable than being alone. Thus, homosexuality may be a by-product of social instinct and competition. This may also be influenced, notes Kotrshal, by the development of gender ideas about the most important qualities of a partner. For some, the quality of the relationship may matter more than minor details about gender.

Or all of the above, or some of this. The above assumptions are not mutually exclusive. And their applicability also varies: homosexuality exists in many unrelated parts of the animal kingdom, which suggests that the phenomenon probably does not originate from a single common ancestor, but occurs again and again in evolution.

"I don't think there's one all-encompassing or unifying explanation," says Paul Vasey, director of the Comparative Sexuality Laboratory at the University of Lethbridge in Canada. “Different explanations are required due to the unique evolutionary history of each species.”

Indeed, the dynamics of the spread of homosexuality vary. Sometimes, as in the case of wild geese, homosexuality occurs only in one sex; in other species, including Canada geese, both males and females form same-sex unions (At least 30 percent of Canada geese, one of the most common birds in North America, may actually be in such relationships; we would probably notice more , if the individuals were not so similar that only specialists studying them could see the difference).

Claudia Wascher, a zoologist at Anglia Ruskin University, adds another nuance: if, as she thinks, homosexuality is an adaptive mechanism, it would not be a direct trait that is inherited by some fixed percentage of the population, with the same frequency of change. , which can be recorded in the characteristics of the color pattern or size of individuals. Most likely, the potential predisposition to homosexuality will vary depending on the individual characteristics of the species, such as curiosity, courage, or any other traits of the individuals, and will be influenced by the complex interaction of biological factors with social and environmental circumstances.

The sexual proclivities of a species are constantly under evolutionary pressure. It may not even be appropriate to discuss homosexuality on a species scale. It is likely that this phenomenon evolved along different trajectories in different communities, and evolution continues today along infinitely different paths.

As an example of rapid changes in subtle behavioral patterns, Washer cites carrion crows, which typically breed in pairs in highly restricted and protected areas throughout Europe. But in northern Spain (5), where there is plenty of food but few nesting sites, crows, instead of spreading widely, live in cooperative breeding groups ⓘ Cooperative breeding is a type of reproductive system in which young birds that have become independent remain in the nesting territory of their parents as part of a stable social group and help parents raise broods, that is, they become helpers. — Approx. ed.. Take eggs from Switzerland to Spain, or vice versa, and the chicks will be able to adapt to living conditions and adopt the habits of the locals. Different dynamics, different trends.

“It can be a lot like homosexuality,” says Washer. One might even speculate that some environmental conditions fostered homosexuality more than others. What if we conduct such an interesting study: how, for example, different urban and rural conditions affect the sexual preferences of geese?

Of course, at the individual level, these dynamics are theoretical. Biologists may talk about kin selection and evolutionary strategies, but birds themselves probably know no more about such dynamics than we do when choosing our mates. For each goose, it is not evolution that is important, but attraction - all those emotions and experiences that nourish a special connection, rooted in the biology common to heterosexual and homosexual individuals. “Love is love,” says Washer.

Research Links

1. Bruce Bagemihl. "Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity"

2. Konrad Lorenz. "The Year of the Greylag Goose"

3. Robert Huber. “Male-male pairs in Greylag Geese (Anser anser)”/ Journal für Ornithologie. April 1993, Volume 134, Issue 2, pp 155-164

4. MacFarlane, G. R., Blomberg, S. P. & Vasey, P. L. “Homosexual behavior in birds: frequency of expression is related to parental care disparity between the sexes” / Animal Behaviour. Volume 80, Issue 3, September 2010, Pages 375–390.

5. Vittorio Baglione, Jose M. Marcos, Daniela Canestrari. Cooperatively Breeding Groups of Carrion Crow (Corvus corone corone) in Northern Spain. The Auk Vol. 119, No. 3 (Jul., 2002), pp. 790-799

List of animals that exhibit homosexual behavior: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animals_displaying_homosexual_behavior