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Bonobo sex

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Weird thread topic, but just something to think about. Went twycross yesterday for my birthday, and bonobos (one of our closest cousins if not our closest) have all kinds of sex not for procreation but for social cohesion. This includes same-sex activities and oral sex / manual stimulation.

When seeing the bonobos up close you realise just how similar they are to us in a lot of ways. One came up to the glass and rapped on it to get MY attention and then touched the glass with his hand and we looked at each other. They use a variety of facial expressions to express fear and happiness and it made me realise how close we are to them.

Then we consider the taboos we have about sex and yet the Bonobos (and thinking about it probably other ape species and dolphins too lol) have sex not for procreation but for reinforcing social bonds. This includes infants as well, shockingly enough. But it's not a dirty sexualised thing obviously, it's just a part of their social interaction.

Anyway, not really something to debate, just something to think about. When people feel 'weird' about someones sexual behaviour, just think how the bonobos feel about it, it's just about making friends lol. You would accept a new male or female to the group by having sex with them! They're so close to us in their behaviour though it's really amazing. They communicate through language (although no extensive studies have been done on that) and can understand human language to an extent as well. (much more so than say a dog understands 5 'sounds' and commands, they can understand sentences etc.).

I recommend you all go see them :D they will blow your mind away.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds a bit like you wanted some monkey action.

    Yes they are related to us, but thats like saying my third cousin twice removed is my closest blood relative. There is a huge difference in the way our brain works and theirs.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I just found the whole thing fascinating! And what I'm trying to say is take away the socialisation we are exposed to are we *really* that different. We have sex with people we love to reinforce the social bonds rather than to pro create. It's a brilliant argument to throw in when people are discussing whether homosexuality is natural or not imo. It might be the case that 'naturally' we are all completely bisexual and it is the way we are socialised. It's another thing we can learn or at least build questions on from observations of other species.

    And you can say there is a huge difference but if you were there yesterday looking one in the eye you can see how we connect. It's nothing like say a cherished dog or cat, you can 'see' a higher intelligence practically.

    I want to be an ape handler now :p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    I want to be an ape handler now :p
    So you DO want some monkey action!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So you DO want some monkey action!

    :blush:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I love the fact that dolphins display bisexual behaviour.

    High five to being bi!

    :hyper:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Namaste wrote: »
    I love the fact that dolphins display bisexual behaviour.

    High five to being bi!

    :hyper:

    *high fives*

    For anyone who isn't convinced about how close we are to bonobos (it is really scary to be honest, in a cool way ;)) watch this presentation by Susan Savage-Rumbaugh on Bonobos.

    http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/susan_savage_rumbaugh_on_apes_that_write.html

    Bonobo's can learn language, they have their own relatively complex language and they've been observed learning the languages of other great apes when placed in zoos. They can make and use tools as complicated as the ones prehistoric man used (by their own as well, in the wild, they can skin an animal with blades made from stones).

    Clear as day I can see we seriously need to revaluate how we look at these species. I said to my friend (to some accusations of racism) - if we can put these intelligent apes in enclosures, is it possible that 200 years ago we could have been putting native aboriginees and african tribesmen in zoos as well? We share so much with bonobos and until you see them in the flesh you can't really appreciate that fully...
    070730_bonobos01_p323.jpg
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Having 'bonobo gay sex' in my search history is the kind of thing that's going to get me thrown in prison. :/ But it's not just something some of them do, it's completely the norm. Not that we should need animal behaviour to validate human behaviour but there we have it!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ,,
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    Clear as day I can see we seriously need to revaluate how we look at these species. I said to my friend (to some accusations of racism) - if we can put these intelligent apes in enclosures, is it possible that 200 years ago we could have been putting native aboriginees and african tribesmen in zoos as well?

    It was less than 200 years ago, a group of Zulu warriors toured the UK as a type of circus act for a while, 'American Indians' were shown off as a freak show attraction for quite a while in the US.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hilarious!
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