# Who first said that dolphins enjoy sex? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 21, 2001, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945 "2001-09-21T02:46:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![whays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e480ec/32.png) [@whays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whays)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/1 "2001-09-21T02:46:32Z")
You’ve all heard the rumor that “only humans and dolphins enjoy sex.” Obviously, this is a pretty ill-considered idea, since we can’t read the minds of dolphins. We also can’t read the minds of hamsters – who might enjoy sex more than any of us, for all we know. I’m a biologist, writing a book on the biology of sex in people and animals. Since it seems that _everyone_ has heard this dolphin rumor, I’ll have to say something about it in my book. Where on Earth did the rumor come from? Who first said it? I can’t track the source – but it’s probably right under my nose. One person told me they “heard it on the radio.” A fat lot of good that does me… Any leads? ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/2 "2001-09-21T03:31:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whays \* > \*\*“only humans and dolphins enjoy sex.” \*\* I always hear 'Horses’in the same “rumor.” While it may be true that dolphins (and horses) enjoy sex, it’s pretty well documented that _bonobo’s_ do too. Moreso than humans I believe. This rumor though actually doesn’t really reek of UL to me though, it’s probably true that dolphins enjoy sex, just not that they are the _only_ other species that do. Ever been to the zoo? Why would that monkey be masturbating if he didn’t enjoy it? > [@](#): > > **Obviously, this is a pretty ill-considered idea, since we can’t read the minds of dolphins** > [@](#): > > **I’m a biologist** Tsk, tsk. A scientist should well know that you don’t have to read an animals mind to know a little bit about it. - “Hey, look, that bear is caught in a bear trap!” “You think it’s in pain?” “What am I, a mind reader?” - ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/3 "2001-09-21T11:52:00Z")
Well, Flipper told me… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/4 "2001-09-21T12:03:27Z")
I’ve heard pigs seem to have a good time at it (with other pigs, that is, of course) ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/5 "2001-09-21T12:43:40Z")
[Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/pleasure.htm) is worth reading on this, although they don’t address the question of “who said it.” ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/6 "2001-09-21T13:28:11Z")
- - - Well, -do they hang around afterwards and smoke, or not? - MC ---
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/7 "2001-09-21T14:26:15Z")
You can always go to [http://www.dolphinsex.org](http://www.dolphinsex.org) to learn about dolphins and humans enjoying sex with each other… ---
**Author:** ![KeithB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@KeithB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KeithB)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/8 "2001-09-21T16:38:13Z")
I think the OP is slightly wrong. The question is not whether other animals _enjoy_ sex, but whether they engage in sex for fun with no chance of procreation. I have heard that bonobos, porpoises and humans are in the latter category. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/9 "2001-09-21T17:32:55Z")
Not answering the OP, but believe me, there’s a lot of pink-bellied dolphins at the SeaWorld Dolphin Encounter, as well as a lot of red-faced parents trying to explain what’s happening. To steal the title of a bad comic panel: “They’ll Do It Everytime.” ---
**Author:** ![boohowdoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boohowdoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boohowdoy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/10 "2001-09-21T17:53:16Z")
My guess is that it’s from Douglas Adams. ---
**Author:** ![cmburns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@cmburns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmburns)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/11 "2001-09-21T18:27:58Z")
Sorry, I don’t have the thread, but I believe Cecil had a column on animals enjoying sex. In it he mentioned lesbian encounters among some non-human primates, which would certainly fall under the non-procreative category. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-first-said-that-dolphins-enjoy-sex/82945/12 "2001-09-21T19:54:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Who first said that dolphins enjoy sex? Don Shula.