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Scientists primarily describe these as “same-sex sexual behaviors” (SSB) to avoid implying human-like identities or orientations. Our research shows that same-sex behavior is in fact widespread amongst non-human animals," Savolainen said in a statement.
This article was originally published by Business Insider.
More from Business Insider:"We find this behavior between males helps them form coalitions — when they bond by having sex, they fight together against other males [that they are not having sex with]," Savolainen said.
While hormonal or genetic influences are less understood in non-human primates compared to social factors, some studies suggest a potential heritable component to same-sex activity in species like macaques.
Differentiating Animal and Human Sexuality
Understanding same-sex behavior in animals requires a careful distinction from human sexual orientation and identity.
Additionally, some same-sex behaviors might be displays of dominance or submission, where one individual mounts another to assert social status, regardless of the sex of the participants.
Another explanation considers same-sex behavior as practice for heterosexual encounters, especially among younger or less experienced individuals.
While less frequent than in bonobos, same-sex behaviors also occur in chimpanzees, primarily between adult males, and involve mounting and genito-genital contact.
Understanding the Scientific Explanations
Scientists propose several hypotheses to explain the presence of same-sex behavior in non-human primates, often linking it to social dynamics rather than solely reproduction.
They, too, discovered that the male-on-male romps could produce reproductive benefits among the collection of mostly secluded monkeys.
That’s wild!
“Our results demonstrate that same-sex socialsexual behavior is frequent in rhesus macaques, can evolve and is not costly [to their overall fitness],” read the study, led by Vincent Savolainen, a professor of organismic biology and director of the Georgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet at Imperial College London.
In 2017, 2019 and 2020, Savolainen and his team closely observed the social and mounting behaviors of the rhesus macaques — descendants of apes that were transported to the tiny island from India for remote observations back in 1938.
The idea that same-sex behavior could be an ancestral trait has also been proposed. Animal observations focus on behaviors, such as mounting or genital contact, rather than an internal, self-perceived identity.
Attributing human concepts like “gay” to animals can lead to anthropomorphism, which is the projection of human characteristics onto animals.
Savolainen notes that the rhesus macaques shared a common ancestor with humans approximately 25 million years ago, per the study.
He and the analysts found that the same-sex behaviors of the macaques were both repeatable and heritable — meaning the monkeys copycatted the intercourse they observed and, in addition, performed the act based on their genetic predisposition.
But it's in line with the other heritable behaviors that the scientists have identified in monkeys – including grooming and sociality, a press release from the university detailed.
In general, behaviors are difficult to attribute to genes at all, so even a seemingly low percentage of 6.4% is noteworthy.
Though the relationships the monkeys have are probably different from those of humans, Savolainen hopes that these findings could help us better understand the variability of sex.
"Unfortunately there is still a belief amongst some people that same-sex behavior is 'unnatural,' and some countries sadly still enforce the death penalty for homosexuality.
Moreover, these male monkeys weren't strictly homosexual. While primates exhibit diverse sexual behaviors, the motivations and meanings behind these actions are not necessarily equivalent to the complex psychological and social dimensions of human sexuality. "And then the idea is that if they do this, then they might also have access to more females and, in effect, have more babies," he said.
And those babies might be more likely to do the same, the researchers found.
Gay sex in male monkeys is partially heritable
By using genetic tests and family trees, they found that same sex behavior was 6.4% heritable.
On its own, that might seem low.
For instance, bonobos are well-known for their frequent engagement in same-sex interactions, particularly female-female genito-genital rubbing. "Of course, there are differences between humans and these monkeys but there may be some common ground."
If the findings can help to stamp out stigmatization around same-sex sexual behavior then that would be a positive and important outcome, Savolainen added.
Carissa Wong is a freelance reporter who holds a PhD in cancer immunology from Cardiff University, in collaboration with the University of Bristol.
However, the investigation found that only 6% of the gay rendezvous could be attributed to the monkeys’ genes.
And while same-sex hanky-panky among animals might sound unusual, it’s far from uncommon.
In fact, homosexuality in both male and female penguins around the world has become a trending craze online, including a pair of gay birds at Syracuse, New York’s Rosamond Gifford Zoo that became first-time dads on New Year’s Day 2022.
Known locally as Monkey Island, it now has over 1,700 rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) living freely there.
Related: Primates have been masturbating for at least 40 million years
In a study published Monday (July 10) in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, researchers were looking at same-sex behavior among males on the island — and found it was extremely common among the 236 male monkeys they observed.
The team logged how often male monkeys mounted, or were mounted by, other males and how often males mounted females over three periods in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
For example, in macaques, males who engage in same-sex mounting are more likely to support each other in conflicts, indicating a social benefit. They did have sex with females, too.
In fact, the researchers found that the bisexual macaques had more offspring than their heterosexual counterparts.
So taken all together, "they form bonds, and they help each other in a fight," Vincent Savolainen, biologist and lead author of the study, told New Scientist.
This article explores the scientific observations of these behaviors in primates, delves into the current theories explaining their occurrence, and clarifies the distinctions between animal behaviors and the nuances of human sexuality.
Observing Same-Sex Behavior in Primates
Same-sex sexual behavior (SSB) is widely observed in numerous primate species, challenging previous assumptions about its rarity.
In societies that condemn homosexuality even with the death penalty, they often say that with scientific evidence that it is natural, they wouldn’t be so harsh on them.”
The researcher hopes his discovery aids in quelling extreme responses to same-sex activities, noting that the macaques prove that the behavior is “actually beneficial.”
“Which should be a refreshing take on what’s going on in nature,” said Savolainen.