Jo Setchell
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Articles by Jo Setchell
When a bull falls for a donkey: what an unlikely relationship reveals about animal sexuality
This article was originally published in The Conversation. Read the original article. By Jo Setchell, Professor of Anthropology, Durham University On an Ethiopian plateau, a bull called Achille formed an unusual relationship with a male donkey named Patroclo. They were observed spending time together, licking and rubbing against one another, and repeatedly having penetrative sex.
Tyr og æsel har udviklet en form for seksuelt kærlighedsforhold: Hvorfor undrer det os egentlig?
Højt oppe i Etiopiens bjerge har tyren Achille indledt et usædvanligt forhold til hanæslet Patroclo. De to dyr er blevet observeret, mens de tilbragte tid sammen, slikkede hinanden, gned sig op ad hinanden og gentagne gange parrede sig med penetration. Dyrenes navne er en henvisning til Achilleus og Patroklos, de to skikkelser fra den græske mytologi, hvis forhold har været diskuteret i årtusinder: Var de hengivne venner eller elskere?
Ethiopia: When a Bull Falls for a Donkey - What an Unlikely Relationship Reveals About Animal Sexuality
On an Ethiopian plateau, a bull called Achille formed an unusual relationship with a male donkey named Patroclo. They were observed spending time together, licking and rubbing against one another, and repeatedly having penetrative sex. The animals' names nod to Achilles and Patroclus, the Greek mythological figures whose bond has been debated for thousands of years: devoted friends - or lovers?
A Bull and a Male Donkey Kept Having Sex. Scientists Say Their Relationship Was About More Than Mating
Achille with Patroclo. Image credits: André B. da Cruz. On an Ethiopian plateau, a bull called Achille formed an unusual relationship with a male donkey named Patroclo. They were observed spending time together, licking and rubbing against one another, and repeatedly having penetrative sex. The animals’ names nod to Achilles and Patroclus, the Greek mythological figures whose bond has been debated for thousands of years: devoted friends – or lovers?
When a bull falls for a donkey: what an unlikely relationship reveals about animal sexuality
On an Ethiopian plateau, a bull called Achille formed an unusual relationship with a male donkey named Patroclo. They were observed spending time together, licking and rubbing against one another, and repeatedly having penetrative sex. The animals’ names nod to Achilles and Patroclus, the Greek mythological figures whose bond has been debated for thousands of years: devoted friends – or lovers?
When a bull falls for a donkey: what an unlikely relationship reveals about animal sexuality
Achille with Patroclo. Andre B da Cruz UNIPI, CC BY On an Ethiopian plateau, a bull called Achille formed an unusual relationship with a male donkey named Patroclo. They were observed spending time together, licking and rubbing against one another, and repeatedly having penetrative sex. The animals’ names nod to Achilles and Patroclus, the Greek mythological figures whose bond has been debated for thousands of years: devoted friends – or lovers?
When a bull falls for a donkey: what an unlikely relationship reveals about animal sexuality
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Primates are facing an impending extinction crisis - but we know very little about what will actually protect them
From lemurs to orangutans, tarsiers to gorillas, primates are captivating and sometimes unnervingly similar to us. So it’s not surprising that this group of more than 500 species receives a great deal of research and conservation attention. But despite this effort, more than 60% of primate species are threatened with extinction mainly due to human activities, such as habitat loss, hunting, illegal trade, climate change and disease. This extinction crisis makes effective conservation actions vital.
Got a great relationship? You may want to thank your prehistoric grandmother
I went to a cross-cultural wedding last weekend. The guests travelled across continents to be there, spoke mutually incomprehensible languages and came from different traditions. However, they all shared a common understanding of the relationship between the bride and the groom. Pair bonds are, after all, universal in human societies, despite being rare in other mammals. And we don’t exactly know why.
Why men are not biologically useless after all ...
Does the world really need men? It has been suggested that, in the age of cloning – and with enough sperm banks around to populate several future generations – the question is legitimate. However, new research suggests that the reason that we need two sexes is because it improves the overall genetic quality of a species and reduces the risk of population extinction. The question of why sex is so widespread across nature has intrigued and puzzled scientists for a very long time.
New Study: 60 Percent of Primate Species Threatened With Extinction
This article was originally published at The Conversation and has been republished under a Creative Commons license. ✽ Primates are remarkable. We’re all familiar with chimpanzees, monkeys, and ring-tailed lemurs, but have you heard of tarsiers, with their big eyes? Or Cleese’s woolly lemur, named after John Cleese? Or the fabulous red-shanked douc? What about the scary-looking red-headed bald uakari? Or did you know that primates can be as small as mice?
60% Of Primate Species Now Threatened With Extinction
Primates are remarkable. We’re all familiar with chimpanzees, monkeys, and ring-tailed lemurs, but have you heard of tarsiers, with their big eyes? Or Cleese’s woolly lemur, named after John Cleese? Or the fabulous red-shanked douc? What about the scary-looking red-headed bald uakari? Or did you know that primates can be as small as mice? There are 504 species in all, which makes primates one of the largest groups of mammals.
60% of primate species now threatened with extinction, says major new study
Primates are remarkable. We’re all familiar with chimpanzees, monkeys, and ring-tailed lemurs, but have you heard of tarsiers, with their big eyes? Or Cleese’s woolly lemur, named after John Cleese? Or the fabulous red-shanked douc? What about the scary-looking red-headed bald uakari? Or did you know that primates can be as small as mice? There are 504 species in all, which makes primates one of the largest groups of mammals.
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