With videos of seals having sex with penguins surfacing, researchers have studied the trend and found that the practice is not uncommon, in the journal Polar Biology.
According to scientists, interspecies mating isn't totally uncommon as it helps animals intermingle. Usually the inter-mingling happens between animals, who are similar in genetic composition and appearance and produce hybrid offsprings.
Read: Bizzare! You won't believe what this seal does to a penguin
But the case with seals and penguins are different. Firstly, the penguins look clearly in distress when the act is performed. Also, it is unlikely for a seal to confuse a penguin for a potential breeding partner.
According to the report, the male seals pick up this behaviour after watching one another. Another possibility is that penguins are easy targets as they are when they need to vent the sexual frustration.
The report also states that in some parts of the world, seals are at the receiving end where sea otters are seen copulating with (and killing) baby harbor seals.
Watch video of a seal having sex with a penguin
