Yahoo – AFP, January 10, 2017
Paris (AFP) - Scientists on Tuesday revealed the "highly unusual" behaviour of a male monkey filmed trying to have sex with female deer in Japan -- a rare case of inter-species nookie.
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| Picture released on January 10, 2017 by the Issekinicho publishing house shows an inter-species sexual behaviour between a male Japanese macaque and female sika deer, in Yakushimaru, Japan (AFP Photo/Alexandre Bonnefoy) |
Paris (AFP) - Scientists on Tuesday revealed the "highly unusual" behaviour of a male monkey filmed trying to have sex with female deer in Japan -- a rare case of inter-species nookie.
Sex between
animals from different species is uncommon, but exceptional cases are known to
occur, chiefly in domesticated and captive animals, scientists reported in the
journal Primates.
Mating is
usually driven by the need to procreate, while sex across the species line is
mostly fruitless or yields sterile offspring.
For the new
study -- only the second on the phenomenon of inter-species sex -- a Japanese
macaque or "snow monkey" was filmed mounting at least two female Sika
deer much larger than itself.
Without
penetration, the young monkey makes sexual movements while riding on the does'
backs on Japan's Yakushima Island.
On some
occasions its impertinence was tolerated but at other times the deer bolted and
ran. The monkey ejaculated on the backs of the does, which licked the seminal
fluid, researchers said.
"No
ambiguity is possible, it is clearly sexual behaviour," study co-author
Marie Pele of the University of Strasbourg, France, told AFP.
Furthermore,
the monkey appeared to "guard" the targets of its affection, chasing
away other male macaques.
The
scientists speculated the behaviour may be driven by "mate
deprivation" in a community where competition for females is stiff,
boosted by a surge of hormones in the breeding season.
"Sometimes
young males, like the one in the study, do not have access to females in their
social group as these are claimed by older males," said Pele.
"This
young macaque... did not have access to females, but was very excited. It took
advantage of the presence of the doe."
Snow
monkeys and Sika deer live in close proximity at Yakushima -- the deer eat food
the monkeys drop from the trees, and sometimes feed on their faeces.
The team
said further study is necessary to understand the origins of interspecies
sexual behaviour, including zoophilia -- when humans are sexually attracted to
animals.
The only
other published scientific study on inter-species sexual behaviour was the
much-publicised 2014 report of fur seals forcing themselves on penguins in
Antarctica, the authors said.
A video of
the monkey and the deer can be seen here:
http://www.edge-cdn.net/video_1106810?playerskin=37016
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