Necrophilia In The Animal Kingdom: It’s More Common Than You

A few years back, I posted an article about the most unusual (and amusing) study of animal sex I have ever read, which concerned the world’s first known case of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck (click here to read it). To date, it remains the single most popular story on the blog, having been read hundreds of thousands of times. Who needs to learn about human sex when you can be learning about dead duck sex instead, right? In light of the enduring popularity of this article, a short follow-up seemed appropriate.

In the video below, Kees Moeliker, author of the original study of homosexual necrophilia in the mallard duck, talks about how that study changed his life (necrophilia has a way of doing that) and what he has learned about animals that mate with other dead animals since he published it. He shares some provocative images, as well as some unique explanations for why this behavior occurs. As you might expect, the results are as funny as they are fascinating. Enjoy!

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Image Source: iStockphoto.com

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