10 January 2017
A male Japanese monkey has been
filmed trying to mount and mate with a Sika deer.
Researchers saw the primate
attempting to mate with at least two deer in November 2015, during the macaque
breeding season.
The macaques regularly bathe in
hot springs in snow-covered parts of Japan, and live side-by-side with the
deer.
The macaques have previously been
observed grooming the deer or riding them in a playful manner.
The curious behaviour is outlined
in a study published in the journal Primates.
The monkey seemed to be a
low-status male, who guarded his "love interests" by chasing away
other male monkeys who came near.
Co-author Alexandre Bonnefoy
commented: "The male mounted the deer and displayed some copulation
behaviours, which included about 15 sexual movements over a period of 10
seconds, before dismounting."
It's not the first example of
inter-species mating. In 2014, reports of an Antarctic fur seal coercing
king penguins into sexual relations made headlines worldwide.
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