In a study unlikely to shock either females or their male counterparts‚ males were found to be obsessed with sex.
But a team of international researchers at the University of Sydney have found that male snakes take this to an entirely new level of intensity‚ so much so that they’re literally mating themselves into an early grave.
“The relationship between body condition and age differed strikingly between sexes‚ with females maintaining their body condition with age‚ while condition decreased with age in males‚” University of Sydney Researcher Dr Christopher R Friesen said.
Researchers found that this was because males spend an average of two to four weeks a year on mating‚ during which they rarely eat while expending large amounts of energy.
This is coupled with a much smaller female population which prioritizes self-preservation over sex.
Because snakes only have four months a year to breed‚ feed‚ and have babies‚ the month-long focus on mating takes it toll.
