First lesbian swans, then gay penguins, now lesbian koalas. Researchers at the University of Queensland recently studied a group of 130 captive koalas and discovered the females attempting to mate with other females, sometimes with up to five others at a time. Good news in support of the view that same-sex attractions are as “natural” as opposite-sex ones, a phenomenon an earlier researcher has given the delightful name of “biological exuberance.”
This is not to say that same-sex attractions are there from birth for all of us, nor that it should matter when it comes to equal rights. The scientists found, furthermore, that among the koalas, “Heterosexual encounters were typically twice as long as homosexual encounters,” meaning we shouldn’t draw the parallels between human lesbians and koalas too far.
Still, if you’re looking for an exuberant gift for your partner or girlfriend, a stuffed koala might be just the answer.
(Thanks to PageOneQ for the sighting.)
