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A self-confessed zoophile who wrote a book based on his six-month sexual relationship with a dolphin has said people shouldn't consider it an unnatural act.

Malcolm Brenner, 63, spoke to the Mirror in the wake of controversy about a BBC documentary in which Margaret Howe Lovatt admits having sex with a dolphin as part of a scientific study.

The full-time writer had a six-month sexual relationship with 'Dolly' the dolphin at an amusement park in Florida in 1971.

He told how the female mammal 'came on' to him while he was in the pool with her.

They then waited until the water park had closed for the day and her male companion had been put away before getting it on.

He even penned 2011 book 'Wet Goddess' based on his experiences and feels Margaret should have been brave enough to speak out SOONER.

He said: "I wish she'd spoken out about it a long time ago. I've found her reaction a bit sad.

"It's only unusual in the sense that it doesn't happen very commonly - so people think it's wrong.

"There's something quite transcendental about making love with a dolphin.

"The dolphin is very aware, the dolphin is an intelligent and creative creature and making love is a consummate act."

Malcolm struck up the relationship with Dolly at the Floridaland park while studying in the area and being asked to take photographs for the attraction.

He said: "I was given free access to the dolphins and I became friends with her by going swimming with her. She was very special.

"She announced her intentions to me by positioning herself so I was rubbing against her.

"At first I discouraged her, I wasn't interested. After some time I thought 'if this was a woman would I come up with these rationalisations and excuses'?

"It was when the park was closing that we successfully eluded the male dolphin so we could spend some time alone.

"I called it a relationship because that's what it was. When she died it made me feel terrible and I fell into a depression which lasted five years."

(Image: Jim Hamlin)

Dolly was moved away when the park closed nine months after she and Malcolm had first met.

Malcolm, from Punta Garda, Florida, believes her death a short time later was a case of suicide and that she voluntarily stopped breathing.

The relationship didn't break any laws as bestiality was only banned in Florida 2011.

Malcolm has since been married twice but also describes himself as a 'zoophile' and says he has had previous sexual experiences with a dog.

He said Margaret Howe Lovatt shouldn't feel any shame over her experience with the dolphin and that humans have a misunderstanding about sexual relationships with animals.

"It's extremely upsetting. When my book came out I lost a job at a magazine because of the publicity and complaints from advertisers.

"I don't understand why there is seen to be a slippery slope.

"There is no comparison between sexual abuse and a sexual relationship with a consenting animal."