The Topic of Conversation is Sex
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Posted by Karen Lotter May 31, 2007 |
Sexy female leopards are not monogamous
It was bound to happen someday – you know someone letting the cat out of the bag! Well actually the many kittens, all with different daddies. And the “bag” – the legendary Serengeti Reserve in Tanzania, where scientists have discovered that female leopards are sluts.
Well that may sound a bit judgmental and harsh, because after all they are only animals and they are obeying instincts and lusts. But the fact is, that according to a study just released, nearly half their litters are made up of cubs with different fathers.
And while the serial infidelities of the females ensure a broader genetic mix to help the survival of the endangered species, it comes at a cost, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) said.
"Mating with more than one male poses a serious threat to females, increasing the risk of exposure to parasites and diseases," said Dada Gottelli, ZSL's lead scientist for the research.
"Females also have to travel over large distances to find new males, making them more vulnerable to predation, so infidelity is a heavy burden."
Cheetahs are a threatened species and are declining in number in the areas they inhabit.
The effective breeding population is estimated to be below 10,000 individuals and the species faces threats from human attacks and habitat loss.
"This research shows that more of the male cheetah population are contributing to the next generation than we had expected," said Sarah Durant, leader of the Serengeti Cheetah Project since 1991.
So while the women and mothers are working to save the species, they are in mortal danger, not just from their environment, but from their male counterparts as well – sound familiar?
Mile High Club – antidote for jet-lag?
United Kingdom's Daily Mirror reported recently that impotence drug Viagra could help travelers recover from jet lag. They say it works on west-to-east travel, and so far has been proven to work on hamsters:
Experiments on hamsters found they climbed on to wheels 25 to 50 per cent faster if they were given the sex drug after having their sleep disturbed. The drug works by interfering with an enzyme which regulates the body clock.
The kicker comes at the end, where the report goes on to say this Viagra-thing “could be important for airline crews regularly crossing time zones”
So keep an eye on your flight crew, you never know!
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