A politician in Poland made headlines around the world last week after he publicly complained to his local zoo for acquiring an elephant that he termed "gay."  It seems that the elephant, named Ninio, likes to spend his time with other male elephants and may not be attracted to females for mating.

The head of the Poznan Zoo said that 10-year-old Ninio may just be too young to decide whether or not likes male or female elephants as the animals don’t reach sexual maturity until they are about 14 years old.  However elephants have been known to be gay before, with homosexual behavior being observed both in captivity and in the wild, and they are certainly not the only animals who have shown thistendency.  Giraffes, dolphins and monkeys all routinely take part in male-only ahem, 'bonding' sessions,  and there are even a species of parrot which is said to exclusively enjoy the company of females, allowing male mating purely for reproduction.

There are many species of animals which display homo-sexual behavior, and even more types of animals who are quite indiscriminate in their sexual preferences.  This behaviour is sometimes 'experimental' with animals trying out the idea to release sexual frustration when there are a lack of available females.  It can also be an act of dominance during adolescent power struggles within a group of animals. 

There have been many cases recorded of animals who simply preferred partners of the same gender, and seem to stick to this preference throughout their lives.  In some animal groups this behavior is even a crucial part of their social habits.

I hope Ninio isn't persecuted too badly for his sexual preferences, and that the zoo keepers have as much compassion for him as those at Central Park Zoo displayed towards the two gay penguins Roy and Silo.  The zoo keepers were so impressed by the close partnership of the penguin couple that they even introduced an egg for them to hatch and care for after seeing the penguins treating a small rock as if it were an egg.  The couple raised their adopted child, Tango, just as successfully as aheterosexual penguin couple, and their story was so famous that it even inspired a children's book.

Gay pandas living in a UK zoo also became celebrities a few years ago when their sexual preference was uncovered, even being parodied on an episode of TheSimpsons.

Whatever sexual choice Ninio makes,  I hope he finds a loving partner in his home.