Gender and sex in the animal kingdom

Gay penguins

The very diverse ways that animals deal with their gender and sexuality and even their sexual preferences are absolutely fascinating. This week’s programme begins with advice from a certain Dr. Tatajana. She’s a fictional character from Olivia Judson’s Olivia Judson’s hilarious but scientifically sound book “Dr. Tatjana’s sex advice for all creation…”

– Gender as a form of strategy: interview about animals who can choose or change their own gender or the gender or their offspring to improve their chances of survival;
– The nose of sex: the role of feromones: these chemical substances play a vital role in sex and procreation among animals; many mammals even have a second ‘olfacatory system ‘built in (a second nose) specially tuned for feromones;
– Lesbian monkeys: Lesbian behaviour among Japanese makakes: researcher Paul Vassi explains why they do it;

Producer: Thijs Westerbeek van Eerten

Broadcast: May 21, 2003