Seahorses flirt a lot It's widely known that male seahorses carry fertilised eggs to full term while letting the females take care of feeding, but did you know that these creatures are quite romantic? Their courtship ritual consists of a lot of tail holding, nose touching, and colour changing.
Photo: flickr/alyssafilmmakerAs far as scientists can tell, humans are the only animals with "covert sexual signaling" (aka flirting). In many other species, males are very overt about their courtship signals, even to the extent of expensive, colorful displays.
Dogs, cats, goats and some rodents have all been found to have the “love hormone” in ways resembling that of humans. Animals may also create long-term attachment and dedication to a mate by traveling, defending territory and searching for food as a team.
Male giraffes will explore a female's rump and genital area, and if she likes him (wink!) she'll voluntarily produce urine which he'll sniff and taste, to see if she's in estrus.
Luring with Smells. Many male and female animals produce smelly chemicals called pheromones. The smells are meant to tell partners about their health, where they are located, and that they are ready to mate. Insects use pheromones a lot, and they can sense the chemicals with their antennae.
The female red-sided garter snake, a species native to Manitoba, Canada, has no shortage of potential lovers. According to Christopher Friesen at the University of Wollongong in Australia, anywhere from 10 to 30 attentive males may pursue her at once, literally enveloping her with their love.
Prairie dogs are hopeless romantics. They're very social animals, and greet each other the same way a lot of humans do: touching their mouths together in a loving kiss. Just like with humans, this releases oxytocin, the feel-good "love" or "bonding" hormone.
Doves. These beautiful white birds have always been associated with peace and love. In fact, they are found in Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and Hindu religious texts. Turtle doves also symbolize fidelity.
Not only do animals enjoy the deed, they also likely have orgasms, he said. They are difficult to measure directly but by watching facial expressions, body movements and muscle relaxation, many scientists have concluded that animals reach a pleasurable climax, he said.
These behaviours are so diverse, from dogs sniffing and licking potential mates, to elephants putting their trunks in each other's mouths. However, one animal kisses just like we do: the bonobo ape. This isn't too surprising, considering we share 98.7 per cent of our DNA with this hairy cousin.
Dogs and cats especially are known for licking themselves. And licking each other and the faces of “their” humans. Giraffes, kangaroos and deer also lick their nearest and dearest. This not only strengthens their relationships but also gives them clean fur.
chopped breast, slaw, comeback sauce, pickles, piled high on crinkle fries.
Dogs, cats, and other pets love their owners unconditionally and in showing this love are able to help us feel happy again.
Beavers are one of the few mammals that mate for a lifetime, only choosing to find another mate if their original mate dies. But here's where it gets interesting: there are two types of beavers, European beavers and North American beavers.
It's no wonder that many pets that are close to their humans, such as dogs, cats, horses, pigs and exotic birds, are all known to display obsessive compulsive behaviors. The most common types of animal obsessive compulsive disorder seen in dogs include tail chasing and obsessive licking.
Dogs and humans have been best friends for centuries, and it's no secret why. They're incredibly loyal and irresistibly cute, making them the perfect cuddle companions. Small breeds include shih tzus, pugs, Pomeranians, Yorkshire terriers, and Chihuahuas, to name a few.
Importantly, studies show that a large percentage of pet owners report consistent signs of jealousy in domestic pets, including horses, birds and cats. More research into the social emotions of animals other than dogs and primates may reveal that jealousy is more widespread than it appears to be.
1. Brown antechinus. For two weeks every mating season, a male will mate as much as physically possible, sometimes having sex for up to 14 hours at a time, flitting from one female to the next.
A large-scale study found that human copulation lasts five minutes on average, although it may rarely last as long as 45 minutes.