For the first time ever, two male humpback whales were documented mating off the coast of Maui, Hawai’i. Male-Female humpback sex has yet to be documented. Humpback mating and reproduction is still a mystery to experts.
Homosexual behavior is natural and common in the animal kingdom and well documented for many species of cetaceans such as orca and dolphins.
This instance may have been an act of dominance with a healthy male humping an injured male. According to the Pacific Whale Foundation, one whale (bottom) was visibly thin and covered in whale lice, displaying signs of poor health and drawing the attention of the photographers. A second whale (top) repeatedly approached the first whale, using its pectoral fins to hold the injured whale in place, and initiating shallow, brief penetrations. The health disparity between the two whales may have been a factor in the encounter.
The article, “An observation of sexual behavior between two male humpback whales” is published in the journal Marine Mammal Science and can be read here: https://www.pacificwhale.org/what-we-do/research/publications-references/
Image credits: Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano
Source: Stack, S. H., Krannichfeld, L., & Romano, B. (2024). An observation of sexualbehavior between two male humpback whales. Marine Mammal Science, e13119.https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13119STACKET AL.9of9