Featured Image Credit: Jim Abernethy/ National Geographic Creative
By Laura O’Brien
We know about the birds and the bees, but what about sea creatures? Living in the water creates a whole new set of challenges for those trying to get freaky. Aquatic creatures have totally different moves, not to mention anatomies which help them make babies while underwater.
Due to the tricky logistics of water sex, one might think that hippopotamuses would choose to have intercourse on dry land; but, hippos are SO HEAVY that it is actually easier for them so have sex in the water. (We can think of a few good “yo mamma” jokes about this.) Female hippos also opt for water births- imagine trying to give birth to a 110 pound (50 kilogram) baby on land! No thanks.
Sea turtles also make love at sea, and the males have some pretty interesting pieces of anatomy which help them in their reproductive efforts. Male sea turtles come with special claws on their flippers which help them hold on to the female for stability. One of the greatest drawbacks for mating turtles, however, is one of their greatest attributes. Big, clunky shells do not make sex any easier! Sea turtles have a hole called a cloaca, which is used for both waste and reproduction. From the cloaca, the male guides his penis underneath the female sea turtle’s shell, then into her cloaca. The male’s hooks are not only for ease in breeding, they are to help him maintain his position while other gentleman callers attempt to mount his lover. Sea turtle sex is a romantic affair.
Dolphins also possess helpful anatomical traits which attempt to overcome the challenges that they face by mating in the ocean. Since their environment lacks objects to gain traction or leverage from, and dolphins do not have appendages with which they can grab/ hold onto each other, they had to find other ways of making sex possible. Male dolphins can move their penis… like, all over the place… in order to guide their way into females. Dolphins have sex in more than one position. When they mate belly to belly, the male’s penis does not have to travel far; but when the male is behind the female (AKA dolphin style), the male moves his member around her body. Female dolphins have neat reproductive anatomy as well; because some species of dolphin have numerous folds, which might be able to affect whether or not the sperm is able to unite with an egg or swim into a dead end. Research shows that dolphins favor quickies; their mating process only takes moments. Quick intercourse is favorable for dolphins not only because of the difficulty they experience while attempting to stay united, but also due to their need to surface for air. Side note- dolphins are prone to some NSFW sexploits which you can research on your own time… if you’re into that sort of thing.
Shark sex may be living up to a shark stereotype… they bite. Male sharks scope out their potential partner before diving into the sex. He will bite the female’s fins to ensure that he will be able to hold onto her. The female shark’s extremely thick skin will protect her while he bites her during sex, but it can make his job more difficult. The lovers must also be sure that there is enough current to move past their gills while they are mating, because sharks need water to be moving past their gills in order to breathe.
So, there you go. Now you know how sea creatures get freaky!