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Maybe you could get some tips for your next night out – but we do NOT recommend trying out the hippo-trick!
Maybe you could get some tips for your next night out – but we do NOT recommend trying out the hippo-trick!
A factor of life
No matter if you’re human, an insect, a fish or another kind of animal, courtship is a part of being alive.
It’s meant to secure the future of the species, as well as you lineage, and in some human cultures, having children is even part of securing your own future, when you get older.
Weird, weirder, weirdest
That being said, humans and animals er very different in a lot of ways – and courtship rituals is definetly one of those areas.
So get ready to learn how some animals court their desired mate!
Disclaimer: It is NOT recommended to try out some of the weirdest ones druing your next night out …
The Peacock Spider’s dance-off
Tiny but mighty, male peacock spiders perform flamboyant dances while lifting a rainbow-colored abdominal flap like a disco cape. If the female isn’t impressed? She might eat him.
Bowerbirds: Architects of Love
Male bowerbirds build elaborate “bowers” from sticks and decorate them with shiny objects like bottle caps, berries, and even blue pens.
The better the décor, the higher the romantic appeal.
Giraffe necking (and urine tasting)
Male giraffes fight by swinging their necks like sledgehammers.
But here’s the kicker: before mating, a male will taste a female’s urine to check for fertility.
Romance!
Hippo love = Poop windmills
In a bold gesture, a male hippopotamus flings dung with his tail while wooing a mate, marking territory and signaling his intent.
It’s less “roses are red” and more “feces fly freely.”
The Moonwalk of the Manakin
The red-capped manakin performs a moonwalk-like dance on a branch.
Its smooth-gliding footwork rivals Michael Jackson and is designed to impress females watching nearby.
The singing penis of the Water Boatman
The water boatman produces the loudest known sound (relative to body size) by rubbing its penis against its abdomen — a mating call that can reach 99 decibels.
Flatworms duel with their penises
In a phenomenon known as “penis fencing,” two flatworms battle to stab the other with their bifurcated phallus — because the loser has to carry the babies.
Spider gift-wrapping… deception included
Male nursery web spiders bring prey wrapped in silk as a gift.
But sometimes they cheat — wrapping up inedible items like plant bits and hoping the female won’t notice.
Cutlassfish roleplay
During courtship, some species of cutlassfish (deep-sea dwellers) do an eerie synchronized swimming ballet, complete with bioluminescent light shows — like a spooky rave in the abyss.
Love Darts from snails
Certain land snails literally shoot “love darts” — calcareous spikes — into their partner’s body to deliver mucus that enhances their own reproductive success.
Cupid, but with a biological twist.
