This is Not Like They Do on the Discovery Channel…
Researchers in the Republic of Congo recently observed (and videotaped) two gorillas having sex in a face to face position. They were holding each other and looking one another in the eye. One scientist told TIME that they had not seen this behavior in 13 years of research. I am pretty sure he was talking about the gorillas.
They held hands afterward.
I am actually curious about the possibility that the gorillas observed this particular behavior in the researchers or other nearby humans at some point. TIME did not ask.
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I’ve heard that when scientists are trying to get animals to breed in captivity, they show them mating videos. Maybe they put in the wrong tape for this particular couple.
Comment by Ling — February 16, 2008 @ 2:16 am
This pair is being observed ‘in the wild’ but I am sure the observers have had some effect on the subjects over time. I asked my wife if she thought putting a primatologist in our boudoir would spruce things up.
Comment by martin — February 16, 2008 @ 10:08 am
I am with you, I think they are mimicing behavior they saw elsewhere. How else would they do things in which they had never been seen doing before?
Comment by sleeping bags — February 18, 2008 @ 1:09 pm