Large Group of 'Bisexual' Dolphins Observed in Australia

A large group of young bottlenose dolphins have been observed engaging in same-sex activity off the coast of western Australia, providing more fodder for scientists studying such behavior.

The Mandurah Dolphin Research Project -- which spotted the "bisexual" dolphin acts in the Shark Bay area of western Australia -- wants to know why male bottlenoses are so prone to engage in homosexual sex, like mounting and genital contact.

"Apart from homosexual behavior, males, unlike females, in Shark Bay have also been recorded to perform synchronous displays," Murdoch University's Krista Nicholson told Newsweek. "In Shark Bay, where male dolphins form lifelong alliances, socio-sexual interactions between males are more common than between females or between the sexes."

Currently, scientists believe the same-sex activity serves to bond the male dolphins and possibly prepares them for courtship with female bottlenoses.