15 Oddest Animal Mating Rituals

14. GREAT FRIGATE BIRD

This bird isn't afraid to show his chest when it comes to attracting a mate. The Great Frigate Bird has a bright throat sac that he spends 20 minutes inflating for the ladies. Once full, the bird boast a beautiful heart-shaped chest that really catches the eye. (BBC Nature)

13. GREAT GALAPAGOS TORTOISE

Since great Galapagos tortoises aren't quite chivalrous or fast enough for dueling, males win over females by measuring necks. When two males are vying for a mate, they will stretch out their necks as far as they can. The longest wins, so size matters in the tortoise world. (Save Galapagos)

12. ELEPHANTS

Elephants aren't all about sex; males take time getting to know their mates. Instead of instantly trying to woo females with some flashy display, the guy will spend weeks bringing her food and showering her with attention. And an elephant never forgets affection like that. (Wired)

11. HORSESHOE CRAB

Male horseshoe crabs are a little sentimental and have a mating life that reads like a classified ad. When the sea creature is ready to mate, he surfaces on the beach and goes for a long walk under the moonlight, waiting for his mate. No word on whether pina coladas and getting caught in the rain is involved. (University of Delaware)

10. MOSQUITOS 

These pests have a pretty sweet mating ritual. If two mosquitos interested in mating should meet, the pair will alter the sound frequencies of their wings to create an intimate harmony. The ditty becomes the duo's song while they are together. (i09)

9. FLATWORMS

These sea critters have a true Battle of the Sexes. Flatworms are hermaphrodites. To determine who is the male in the mating pair, the worms will duel with their genitals. The winner gets to be the man in the relationship. (PBS)

8. MANAKIN BIRD

This little guy is a true thriller. To attract the girls, the manakin will pull out a timeless and impressive dance move: the Moonwalk. The bird Michael Jacksons his way up and down branches until an interested female comes along. (NatGeoWild)

7. GIANT PANDAS

Eager to boost the giant-panda population, zoo workers will try just about anything to get pandas in captivity to mate. One successful tactic they have discovered is showing them panda porn. During the animal's mating season, some zoo-dwelling bears are treated to steamy panda-on-panda flicks to get them in the mood. (CNN)

6. RED-SIDED GARTER SNAKE 

Females must be in demand in the garter-snake world. During the reptile's mating season, up to a 100 snakes will jump on a female, forming a ball of eager suitors. Out of all these guys, only one gets to mate with the female. (Anaspid) 

5. WHITE-FRONTED PARROT

After two white-fronted parrots get to know each other, they will start to kiss. Cute enough, but what happens next is not. If things are going well and the pair decides to mate, the male will start vomiting into the female's mouth before sealing the deal. (ScienceRay)

4. OCTOPUS 

Octopi apparently have some fairly vigorous mating sessions. It is common for the male's penis to break off during sex. Luckily for the eight-legged lovemaker, his member grows back in time for the next mating season. (Planet Green)

3. PORCUPINES

The female porcupine has some interesting sexual preferences. First off, the ladies are only interested in sex eight to 12 hours out of the entire year. When the female is ready, she will only mate after the male throughly urinates on her from up to six feet away. (BC Adventure)

2. HIPPOS

You thought porcupines were bad. Females hippos are tempted by the smell of a male's defecation. To attract the mate, a male hippo will start defecating and then spread the waste around by spinning his tail. Somehow, the ladies love it. (Science)