Gay animals are factual

»Oslo - The birds and the bees may be gay, according to the world's first museum exhibition about homosexuality among animals.

With documentation of gay or lesbian behaviour among giraffes, penguins, parrots, beetles, whales and dozens of other creatures, the Oslo Natural History Museum concludes that human homosexuality can't be viewed as "unnatural".

"We may have opinions on a lot of things, but one thing is clear: homosexuality is found throughout the animal kingdom, it is not against nature," an exhibit statement said.

Geir Soeli, the project leader of Against Nature, said: "Homosexuality has been observed in more than 1 500 animal species and is well documented for 500 of them."

The museum said the exhibition, which opened on Thursday despite condemnation from some Christians, was the first in the world on the subject.

"The sexual urge is strong in all animals... It's a part of life, it's fun to have sex," Soeli said of the reasons for homosexuality or bisexuality among animals.

One photograph shows two giant erect penises flailing above the water as two male right whales rub together. Another shows a male giraffe mounting another for sex, and another describes homosexuality among beetles. - Reuters«

[This article was originally published on page 4 of The Star on October 13, 2006]