Gay Behavior in Animals is Widespread Across 1,500 Social Species; Scientists Point to Evolution

Over 1,500 social species in the animal kingdom exhibit gay behavior, which plays an important role in evolution, according to scientists.

Gay Behavior in the Animal Kingdom

Researchers from the Universidad de Granada, the Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación, and Estación Experimental de Zonas áridas revealed that same-gender sexual activity is common among mammal species and that it appears to have numerous distinct origins.

A. Gónzalez-Megas, M. José Gómez, and M. Verd built a database on same-gender sexual behavior in mammals by reviewing academic papers.

More than 1,500 species of animals, including all the major families of vertebrates, such as reptiles, birds, amphibians, fish, and mammals, have been known to have same-sex mating in the past.

It has also been observed in the major subgroups of invertebrates, such as nematodes, which are minuscule parasitic worms, insects, spiders, and echinoderms, which include starfish.

Particularly prevalent among non-human primates, such as lemurs and apes, same-sex mating occurs. It has been noticed in at least 51 different species overall.

Evolution, Social Relationships, and Survival

Many hypotheses have been put up over the years to explain why animals exhibit same-sex sexual behavior. These studies only include incidents of same-sex only while mating, not in monogamous same-sex partnerships, which also happen. Mistaken identification situations, a lack of partners of the opposite sex, and sexual frustration are a few of the reasons that have been established in past hypotheses.

The research team conducted a thorough literature search and analysis to find any instances of this behavior in mammalian species. Their database was updated with each instance. After gathering as much information as they could, they looked for evolutionary linkages that might be connected to other kinds of behavior.The researchers discovered that short-term, same-gender sexual conduct was common in their investigation.

They also discovered that it occurred about equally frequently in males and females across species and that there did not seem to be any shared origins; as a result, likely, this behavior arose independently in many species.

The research team also discovered that male same-sex sexual behavior was more likely to emerge in species where males frequently commit adulticide, or the killing of other males, as adults.

Adulticide occurs when carnivores like lions, tigers, and bears kill one another frequently.

Furthermore, even-toed ungulates, which include hippos, giraffes, and deer, as well as primates, shrews, and marsupials like kangaroos and wallabies, and shrews all engage in adulticide too.

Bats, whales, dolphins, rabbits, and hares all share each other's lives while hardly ever being seen.

This, they contend, raises the prospect that same-gender interactions might act as a deterrent to aggression between adult males.

A recent phenomenon in most mammalian lineages, ancestral reconstruction implies that same-sex sexual behavior may have evolved several times.

Different for Humans

Because their study only looked at transient encounters and not long-term behavior patterns, the researchers caution against using their findings to shed light on long-term, same-gender relationship practices in people.