A Japanese macaque can be seen engaging in rare inter-species sexual behaviour with a female sika deer in a video filmed in Yakushima, Japan. AFP Photo
Without penetration, the young monkey makes sexual movements while riding on the does’ backs on Japan’s Yakushima Island.
On some occasions its impertinence was tolerated but at other times the deer bolted and ran. The monkey ejaculated on the backs of the does, which licked the seminal fluid, researchers said.
“No ambiguity is possible, it is clearly sexual behaviour,” study co-author Marie Pele of the University of Strasbourg, France, told AFP.
Furthermore, the monkey appeared to “guard” the targets of its affection, chasing away other male macaques.