Masters of Pleasure

Dolphins are among the best-documented cases of animals engaging in sex for pleasure, not just reproduction. Their sexual behavior is complex, creative, and often has nothing to do with making babies.

Evidence for recreational sex: - Sexual activity occurs year-round, not just during breeding season - Same-sex encounters are common in both males and females - Males form coalitions and have sex with each other to strengthen bonds - Their brains process pleasure similarly to humans, with active reward pathways

Creative masturbation: Researchers have documented dolphins using remarkable methods: - Positioning themselves in water jets from intake pipes - Wrapping live eels or small fish around their genitals - Rubbing against objects, the ocean floor, or each other - Using balls and toys for stimulation

Anatomical evidence: A 2022 study confirmed that female dolphins have functional clitorises with: - Erectile tissue that engorges with blood - Extensive nerve bundles similar to human clitorises - Genital corpuscles — structures involved in pleasure response - A position ensuring stimulation during mating

Female dolphins also engage in same-sex stimulation, rubbing each other's clitorises with snouts, flippers, and flukes to strengthen social bonds.

Lead researcher Patricia Brennan noted: "This neglect in the study of female sexuality has left us with an incomplete picture of the true nature of sexual behaviors."

Dolphins join humans and bonobos as species with clear evidence that sex serves social and pleasurable purposes beyond reproduction.