Wombats are hard to imagine: gay male eroticism in photography and film from their beginnings to stonewallbiting butts when they're ready to make love.
That's what researchers from Australia's University of Queensland have found in a study, published in the journal Reproduction, Fertility and Development, looking at behavioural indicators of the southern hairy-nosed wombat when breeding.
SEE ALSO: Sharks apparently don't mind jazz musicSouthern-hairy nosed wombats don't breed well under captivity, and they are a species which is currently under threat.
Researchers observed the wombats using infrared cameras, as the marsupials are predominantly nocturnal. There they found the female pacing around, possibly related to its desire to find a suitable mate.
"Female wombats in the wild have been found to move around more than the males so it is possible that she goes out looking for potential mates in anticipation for breeding," Tamara Keeley, one of the authors of the study, explained to Mashable via email.
What's more, its urination patterns changed -- less volume, more concentrated -- which could be linked to hormonal changes in the body. And, as mentioned, the females were found to be biting the male's rump, at a time when he tries to mate her.
"It is possible that this biting behaviour is in response to an increased amount of attention by the male, a lack of interest in that particular male, or a means of trying to challenge him before mating to see if she deems him a suitable mate," Keeley added.
The wombat isn't alone in its odd mating habits. Increased aggression, like butt biting, is a behavioural trait that's found in other animals. Depending on the species, it's linked to pair incompatibility or as a means to challenge the male.
Scientists are still trying to understand the reproductive biology of the wombat, and behaviour is one way they can gain more knowledge. Changes in urination, increased pacing, and erm, butt biting, could be all useful indicators for when they're looking to breed.
"In some species, but not the wombat, females show behaviour signs associated with being in oestrus (receptive to the male)," Keeley said.
"In wombats we were looking for any changes in any behaviour that might be linked to her reproductive status. Knowing when a female will be receptive to a male will help us better manage the animal and hopefully increase breeding success."
Blockchain Explained: How It Works, Who Cares and What Its Future May Hold
Kate McKinnon's Ruth Bader Ginsburg swears she's going to stay healthy on 'SNL'
Trump says he'll deport 2
Michelle Obama pulls off best Mannequin Challenge yet
Obama photographer Pete Souza on Trump: 'We failed our children'
Muslims respond to violence in Trump's America with kindness
National Sundae Day has come not a moment too soon
Donald Trump's war on LGBTQ people has already begun
Best laptop deal: Get the 14
A new way to prevent cheating at live esports tournaments
SpaceX will try to achieve 2 impressive feats on Monday
Bruce Springsteen rescued by veterans after motorcycle breaks down on Veterans Day
Microsoft app delivers colorful window to the world for the colorblind
'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' review: Get outside and take a walk instead
Trump's foreign aid freeze halts funding for digital diplomacy bureau
Hey, Facebook: Social media really can change what people believe
China may leave the U.S. behind on climate change due to Trump
You won't see the moon look this way again until 2034
Report: Match Group dating apps conceal assault cases
Facebook has discriminated against you, and it's not going to stop
Steve Carell set for Netflix comedy based on Trump's 'Space Force’Trump scored the debate's most retweeted tweet with a 2012 climate theoryXiaomi Redmi Note 7: A 48Hillary Clinton walks world’s thinnest tightrope in debate with Donald TrumpVerizon extends free Apple Music subscription for some Unlimited plans indefinitelyFormer Miss Universe Alicia Machado just became Donald Trump's nightmarePokémon Go maker Niantic valued at $4 billion after $245 million roundDonald Trump is totally right, we need more 'Law & Order'Hillary Clinton walks world’s thinnest tightrope in debate with Donald TrumpDonald Trump is totally right, we need more 'Law & Order'This company has spent the evening correcting Donald Trump's claimsJeff Bezos slammed by 85 groups for selling facial'Fortnite' vulnerability put millions of accounts at riskRoku backtracks, says it's pulling Infowars from its platformAmazon upgrades Alexa with newscaster voice'You're The Worst' Season 5 invites you to hurtle toward destructionBreastfeeding mother accuses Georgia cop of harassmentKit Harington kept Jon Snow statue from crypt in 'Game of Thrones' trailerHoward Dean has a very interesting theory about Donald Trump's snifflesSerena Williams on police violence: 'I will not be silent' Thick sheets of ice lurk just below the surface of Mars Time's Up: How to support women in Hollywood during this time of reckoning Fisker EMotion electric car debuts at CES, inspires drooling A firsthand account of Norwegian Breakaway's winter storm hell cruise Not again: Men try to create blockchain Global warming is making it harder to get truly frigid weather Tom Hardy's first 'Venom' photo is of a wholesome Eddie Brock India's only openly gay prince to build an LGBTQ center at his palace Ivanka Trump praised Oprah's Globes speech but people aren't having it Snow falls on the usually quite hot Sahara Desert Bitcoin conference stops accepting bitcoin for tickets, oh the irony New Zealand police radio hacked to play NWA's 'F**k tha Police' Mark Wahlberg paid millions over Michelle Williams for reshoot Huawei Mate 10 Pro will launch in U.S. without wireless carrier Google fires another shot at Amazon with new 'smart displays' E! president responds to Catt Sadler pay gap controversy — and oh boy This $25 waterproof AirPods case is a hidden gem from CES 2018 DeepFrame augmented reality window turns you into life Actress Mira Sorvino apologizes for working with Woody Allen Kohler announces Amazon Alexa
2.6723s , 10171.359375 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【hard to imagine: gay male eroticism in photography and film from their beginnings to stonewall】,Exquisite Information Network