A new discovery on non-reproductive sexual behaviour in another mammal species refers to brown bears. Two male brown bears raised in captivity since being orphaned as cubs have been observed engaging in recurrent fellatio until at least 10 years old. The bears kept the roles of provider and receiver in the act, it remained unchanged throughout, and the behavior itself became highly ritualized. The contact, always initiated by the provider, involved vigorous penile sucking that seemed to result in ejaculation. The authors suggest that the behavior began as a result of early deprivation of maternal suckling, and persisted through life, possibly because of gain and pleasure for both individuals. The publication constitutes the first descriptive report of fellatio in bears, and suggests that some bears may suffer lifelong behavioral consequences from being orphaned at an early age. Link to the paper here.
