What about Gorilla Sexuality?
Gorillas have no mating season. Mating and births occur throughout the
year. Female gorillas have a hormone cycle (similar to humans), which
is usually 26-32 days long.
The female comes into heat in mid-cycle. This can last up to 4 days,
but usually it lasts only one day. During this phase the female's behaviour
and the relations with the other group members change. She approaches
adult males (and occasionally females) to initiate mating, while other
animals seek more contact with her.
If the egg is not fertilised, the mucous membrane of the uterus is flushed
out of the body with menstrual bleeding, just as in humans. Bleeding lasts
for 2-3 days and is considerably weaker than in humans.
Compared to their body mass, gorilla testes and penises are small: Gorilla
testes weigh 30-35 g, those of a chimpanzee about 120 g. As
a rule, an erect gorilla penis is only 3 cm long, whereas a chimpanzee
penis reaches about 8 cm.
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Gorillas mating
Photo:
Jörg Hess |