Giraffe

A male giraffe initiates mating by rubbing his head against a female’s back. Multiple males may compete for a female by swinging their necks at each other. The winner will mate with the female, but only if she allows it.

Tamarin Monkey

Tamarin families can vary, but the most common family structure consists of one female and two males. Since females often give birth to twins, this family structure makes the most sense, with each male responsible for caring for one baby.

Discus fish

Male discus fish have more responsibilities than most other males in the animal kingdom. While the female lays and protects the eggs, the male protects the female. Once the eggs hatch, both parents feed the young with milk secreted from their skin.

Red tailed green pit viper

In North America, a female snake can be pursued by more than 100 males at a time. The males swarm the female in unison, forming a mating ball. If a female is not strong enough to escape the males, the mating will likely kill her.

Bonobo

Bonobos are known to be quite active. Monogamy and heterosexuality do not exist in the world of bonobos. They engage in a wide range of sexual activities with multiple partners and both sexes.

Snail

Land snails have a small appendage that protrudes from between their antennae and is used for reproduction. Most snails are hermaphrodites, meaning they are both capable of fertilization and giving birth.

Hippocampus

A female seahorse injects her eggs into the male’s pouch, where they are fertilized. The male then becomes pregnant and carries the offspring to adulthood. Seahorses are also very loving and affectionate towards each other, and when a male is pregnant, the female will pester him and constantly touch him gently.

Flatworm

These marine animals are hermaphrodites and when it comes time to mate, they will fight over who makes the first move.

Anglerfish

This deep-sea fish takes “clinging” to a whole new level. Since finding a mate in the vast depths of the ocean is difficult, when a male finds a female, he bites and latches on. The two then literally fuse together until they share a circulatory system. When it comes to reproduction, the male feeds on the female while the female uses the male’s sperm.

clown fish

Clownfish are hermaphrodites, and in any given group of clownfish, there is a single female who is larger and more dominant than the others. The largest male is the only one who gets to mate with the female. If the female dies, this male will then change sex and become the new female leader, continuing the cycle.

Black spider

Since females are larger than males, when a male attempts to mate he risks getting caught in the female’s web, being mistaken for prey, and being eaten. A male announces his arrival in peace by vibrating his abdomen. As he moves across the web, he vibrates and pauses, continuing the pattern until he reaches the female.

Antechinuses

These creatures, also known as marsupials, are native to Australia. They have a very difficult mating period. Once they reach puberty, the rats only have a few weeks to mate before they die.

Bee

Male honey bees, also known as drones, kill themselves for the benefit of the queen. When they mate, the male ejaculates and explodes, becoming paralyzed and dying.

Albatross

These migratory birds are monogamous. They can fly for years without landing, but when they do, they must always stay together. Every few years they return to the Galapagos Islands to mate.

When mates meet, they perform a 20-minute mating dance before uniting. Once they have a young one, it is fed by its parents for a year before it sets off on its journey around the world.

Hedgehog

Female porcupines don’t have many opportunities to mate, only 8 to 12 hours a year. When the time comes, the male porcupine will climb a tree to release a stream of urine, if the female likes the smell, she will mate with the male until the male is exhausted.