14/01/2026
A new animal study has found that 59 non-human primate species engage in same-s*x activity. The primates in question include bonobos, chimpanzees and macaques.
The study was published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution on 12 January, and is notable for being the most comprehensive review of non-human primate same-s*x behaviour to date.
Study author Vincent Savolainen said: “What we found shows that same-s*x is not like something bizarre, aberrant or rare. It’s everywhere, it’s very useful, it’s very important.”
For the study, 491 primate species were reviewed in terms of male-male and female-female interactions, which “predominantly involved mounting, ventral-ventral or ventral-dorsal, as well as ge***al touching and fellatio”.
It was found that same-s*x behaviour was more common when animals were subjected to harsh environmental conditions, were at risk of being eaten or when competition for resources was higher, and the species needed social cohesion to survive.
