The sex of humpback whales was captured in pictures for the first time – They revealed a huge surprise – 2024-03-02 05:25:24

The social behavior of humpback whales has been studied for decades. Doug Perrine / Alamy Stock Photo

A giant surprise has recently been revealed to humpback whale researchers, which has even been described as revolutionizing the way the species is used. The British newspaper Guardian writes about it.

A recently completed study already confirms an extremely rare sighting off the Hawaiian resort island of Maui in January 2022. At that time, two photographers witnessed an unprecedented situation where two humpback whales were seen mating.

Apart from the fact that it was the first time that humpback whales have been seen having sex, another surprising observation was also made in connection with the event: both parties to the intercourse were males.

While homosexual intercourse is known to be common in the animal kingdom, the trait has not previously been known for humpback whales. Pacific Whale Foundation cetacean researcher Stephanie Stack describes the now confirmed observation challenging researchers’ preconceived notions about the behavior of humpback whales.

– Although we have long recognized the complex social structures of these incredible creatures, witnessing two male whales mating for the first time is a unique and significant event, he says.

According to the study, originally published in the journal Marine Mammal Science, male humpback whales’ penises are usually hidden in a so-called “genital cleft” that facilitates the marine mammals’ streamlined posture. The unencased penis of the humpback whale, on the other hand, has only been seen a few times before the now discussed observation.

During an intimate encounter between humpback whales filmed in Hawaii, one of the whales was seen thrusting into the other, holding its mate in place with its pectoral fin. The whale below, on the other hand, looked emaciated and weak, even sick, according to the researchers.

Humpback whales are large marine mammals that can grow up to 16 meters in length. In addition, the whale’s weight can reach up to 36 tons, the Guardian writes.