I note that the albatross article mentioned the words "natural" and "normal." Homosexuality certainly is natural, as it occurs in nature, in animals from groups ranging from arthropods to mammals (who knows what goes on in the plant kingdom?). In all cases, there appears to be an adaptive reason for the behavior. However, in its reproductive consequences, exclusive or strict homosexuality, as exhibited in humans, cannot be considered normal sexual behavior. The Darwinian fitness of homosexuals is zero. To the extent that there is a genetic component to the behavior in humans, with their diverse sexuality, the trait undoubtedly persists in the population largely through the actions of bisexual individuals leading to the production of offspring.
The above is an argument strictly from a biological perspective, and is not a moral judgment. What two consenting adults do in private is their own business and no one else's. Tom Culliney -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Kristen Dybala Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 10:55 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question Laysan albatrosses are a fairly well-known example. Here's a (lengthy) article describing it: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/magazine/04animals-t.html?pagewanted=all -Kristen On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 6:53 PM, Merav Vonshak <[email protected]> wrote: > This story reminds me of a similar story - a male pair of Griffon > vultures (Gyps fulvus). They incubated eggs and reared other pairs' > youngs as part of a breeding in captivity effort in Israel some years ago. > Merav > > Merav Vonshak > Postdoctoral Fellow > Gordon Laboratory > Department of Biology > Stanford University > Stanford, CA 94305-5020 > > Phone: 650-725-6791 > email: [email protected] > http://www.stanford.edu/~mvonshak > > On 27, Mar2013, at 12:08 PM, Montblanc, Genie wrote: > > > WT, > > > > Since I don't study this, I'm giving a, "What I've heard in the news," > response. There were two stories awhile back, both relating to > animals in captivity, about homosexual pair bonding. One was with > penguins, I think they also raised a chick together, and the other was > with dolphins. Given that long-term pair bonding only occurs in 8-11 > species in the entire animal kingdom, the question might be moot anyway. > > > > That is my inexpert response. Have a great expedition! > > Génie > > > > Eugénie MontBlanc > > Great Basin Fire Science Delivery Coordinator University of > > Nevada/Mail Stop 0186, Reno, NV 89557 > > Phone: 775-784-1107 (Fax: -1109) > > Email: [email protected] > > Web: www.gbfiresci.org > > Twitter: @GBfirescience > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto: > [email protected]] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson > > Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 10:32 AM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question > > > > [NOTE:] I will be on expedition (with a stop at the National Native > > Seed > Conference in Santa Fe NM on April 10) until the two weeks at the end > of April and the first week of May, then gone again beginning the 2nd > week of May until around May 24. I will not be checking email during > those periods, but will respond to as many email messages as possible > during those hiatuses. A third expedition following those is likely, > but the period of hiatus is iffy.] > > > > Here is my parting question. Please feel free to post it on other lists. > > > > Re: Homosexuality in animals other than Homo sapiens. We know that > homosexual behavior occurs in other species in some forms (Bonobo > chimpanzees [Pan paniscus], for example), and we know that > hermaphrodites of some species fertilize each other simultaneously. > But my question is in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE > homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur? > > > > WT > > > > I'll pick up my answers in late April. If I have time, I may be able > > to > respond to some today. Please respond on-list, and not to me personally. > -- ---------------------------------------------------------- Kristen Dybala, Post-doctoral Researcher Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology University of California, Davis [email protected] (415) 218-9295 - cell This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
