We all know that stress can make it more difficult to have sex. Money worries, family illness, or that piece of shit boss that just won’t get off your case at work. All these combine to really dampen what should be one of the most fun things around.
It could be worse though. Just imagine the life of the Brazilian Torrent Frog (Hylodes japi’) Living in the fast streams of the Atlantic forest of Serra do Japi, their lives basically consist of trying to not get eaten. To be fair, that must suck. But where do they find the time to have sex? Well it seems they have come up with an ingenious, kinky plan.
A Love Chamber
As a way of getting away from birds, snakes, and other predators, they have what can only be described as a ‘kinky love chamber’, where they can court, mate and lay eggs away from prying eyes.
Male Torrent Frogs hand around on the margins of the fast streams, where they attract females with serenades. If they get on, the male will then take the female on a tour of his favourite spots.
It sounds like any normal date!
It will take the frogs about five minutes to pick out their favourite spot. The male quickly carves out a chamber by excavating the sand around small rocks at the bottom of the stream. Then, in what can only be described as reminiscent of a scene from ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, the male will take the female into his ‘sex dungeon’, and then the magic happens.
After all the fun has occurred, the male and female will conceal the entrance with sand from the bottom of the stream.
“Hiding eggs inside an underwater chamber may increase protection of offspring against the strong water flow, predation, and potential cannibalism, since tadpoles are omnivorous,” report author de Sá says.
Well, what can you say. It seems that we aren’t the only species who have a kinky passion. Yes, theirs may be motivated by a desire not to end up as dinner for some luck predator, but it is basically the same thing. Once you close the doors, nobody outside your little room needs to know what is going on between the two of you. Sometimes it is best for all of us to be away from prying eyes.
Let’s all hear it for the Torrent frogs of Brazil. They are certainly our kind of animal!