1,500 Animal Species Practice Homosexuality-- and Love Every Minute of It

According to a recent article published in Scientific American, homosexual behavior in animals is more common than previously thought, having been documented in 1,500 species (up from 500 species just a few years ago). Perhaps the most famous example of animal same-sex coupling is of Roy and Silo, two male chinstrap penguins from the Central Park Zoo in New York, but they are by no means the only. Despite what some international rock superstars would have you believe, homosexual behavior is common in the animal kingdom, ranging from insects to mammals. Though, the article points out, unlike humans, animals are typically not exclusively homosexual, but more likely bisexual. Sociologist Eric Anderson from the University of Bath in England states: “Animals don’t do sexual identity. They just do sex.” Interestingly, animals in captivity engage in homosexual acts more often than those in the wild, possibly, according to the article, because of the high-stress environment related to living in a zoo, behind bars. And, like humans living behind bars, the animals turn to "situational homosexuality" to relieve the stress. So, Silo might be Roy's bitch. Read more of this fascinating article here.