Japan: Maruyama Zoo hires drummer to get alligators in the mood to mate

For some, it's Barry White. For others, um, Rod Stewart.

But if you're an alligator, the low beat of a drum may be just the thing to get you going.

At least that's what keepers at Maruyama Zoo in Sapporo, Japan, are hoping. They recently hired a local percussionist to drum for the zoo's Chinese alligators to encourage them to mate, Kyodo News reported.

The booming sound made by traditional wooden drums is similar to alligators' mating calls, according to Agence France Presse.

In the past, keepers found that knocking on the glass walls of the alligators' enclosure seemed to do the trick – but ever since the glass was replaced with thick acrylic, it no longer makes the right sound.

As the end of the alligators' annual February-March mating season approaches, keepers tried to persuade the critically-endangered animals to get busy via a drum performance on Monday. 

The results were inconclusive, according to Kyodo:

"When percussionist Goshin Moro beat Japanese and African drums in front of male alligator Yoyo and female alligator Susu, the latter stuck her head out of the water and growled loudly. Although Yoyo remained silent, he did approach Susu."

But that's as far as they went. Zoo official Naoya Honda nonetheless described the drumming as "effective," and said it would be tried again "at an appropriate time."

Hey, we at GlobalPost say: whatever turns you on.