"Sex Pest" Fur Seal Tried to Get it On With a King Penguin

Posted by Alex in Animal on May 6, 2008 at 2:47 pm


Nico de Bruyn was on a beach on Marion Island, a sub-Antarctic island that is home to Antarctic fur seals and king penguins when he noticed this bizarre attack:

De Bruyn and a colleague were on Trypot beach at Marion Island to study elephant seals when they noticed a young, adult male Antarctic fur seal, in good condition, attempting to copulate with an adult king penguin of unknown sex.

The 100kg seal first subdued the 15kg penguin by lying on it. The penguin flapped its flippers and attempted to stand and escape – but to no avail. The seal then alternated between resting on the penguin, and thrusting its pelvis, trying to insert itself, unsuccessfully.

After 45 minutes the seal gave up, swam into the water and then completely ignored the bird it had just assaulted, the scientists report. Why a fur seal would indulge in such extreme sexual behaviour is unclear.

Link (Photo: Nico de Bruyn)

Previously on Neatorama: 30 Strangest Animal Mating Habits


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15 comments to ""Sex Pest" Fur Seal Tried to Get it On With a King Penguin"

  1. Dave
    May 6th, 2008 at 3:00 pm

    "Why a fur seal would indulge in such extreme sexual behaviour is unclear."

    Um, bestiality?

    Or maybe just a stupid animal.

  2. felipe
    May 6th, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    it is obvious. It was horny!

  3. Ashley
    May 6th, 2008 at 3:09 pm

    Lots of reasons. Any dysfunction in its brain could have caused this. For example, if the amygdala is damaged, the animal will, to varying degrees, exhibit tameness, sleepiness, loss of fear, decreased aggressive, an excessive tendency to examine everything orally, and.... a sex drive so excessive it will attempt to copulate with just about anything.

  4. CheeseDuck
    May 6th, 2008 at 3:31 pm

    Thats crazy.

  5. Tom
    May 6th, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    He did it for the lulz.

  6. Ali S.
    May 6th, 2008 at 5:52 pm

    I find it odd that the scientists stood there watching this for 45 freakin' minutes!

  7. roger
    May 6th, 2008 at 6:05 pm

    I'm surprised they didn't try to tie it to global warming

  8. BlessedBlogger
    May 6th, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    Could it be that due to a number of possible factors there aren't enough lady seals around to ummm satisfy the males needs? I don't know anything about the area or it's seal population, I'm just speculating. Of course it could just be that he has some sort of hormonal or mental malfunction going on. I don't think I could have stood there and watched the poor penguin for 45 minutes though, the poor little thing could have been squished to death.

  9. Viola
    May 6th, 2008 at 8:43 pm

    Hazing. Welcome to the arctic, bitch!

  10. Alannah
    May 6th, 2008 at 9:35 pm

    Yeah, I don't thing I could have stood 45 mins of penguin rape with out throwing a bucket of cold water or something.

  11. Vako
    May 6th, 2008 at 11:12 pm

    This story brings new meaning to the term "sex club".

  12. K!P
    May 6th, 2008 at 11:55 pm

    @alannah:

    yeah because cold water really scares artic swimmy creatures. (unless it's really cold and just trow a chunk of ice of course.)

  13. roger
    May 7th, 2008 at 2:57 am

    There must be a way to tie this to global warming

  14. DCGaymer
    May 7th, 2008 at 3:55 am

    Penguin fetish.

  15. windowshoppist
    May 7th, 2008 at 4:13 am

    Worst. Day. Ever. for that penguin.


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