On Feb. 27, a new article in the journal Marine Mammal Science announced that scientists had photographed two humpback whales having sexIt was also the first time humans had filmed humpback whale mating scenes.
These images are landmarking, but what is even more interesting is the next turning point.
Picture of humpback whale mating).
Humpback whales are large in the sea, reaching a length of up to 16 meters and weighing up to 36 tons, which is equivalent to the weight of several buses.
In the summer, they swim to the polar regions to feed, and in the autumn and winter, they return to the tropics to mate and breed.
Scientists have been studying humpback whales for decades, but they have never been photographed mating, and even male humpback whales have rarely been photographed
Often, their *** will be hidden in the so-called "** gap", which is more conducive to keeping the body streamlined while swimming.
Before, scientists have only seen a few times when a male humpback whale shows ***, such as when urinatingThe mating scene of humpback whales used to be "a mystery".
Humpback whale, schematic).
It wasn't until January 2022 that two photographers encountered such a scene in the waters west of Maui, Hawaii, USA.
At that time, two humpback whales were swimming towards their boat, Whale A was in front and Whale B was close behind.
At this time, it was discovered that the whale had an unusual brown color, which aroused the interest of photographers, who began to observe and photograph at the same time.
The crew turned off the boat's engine, and the two whales began to circle around the boat for about half an hour.
Whale A appeared to be sick, obviously thin, covered with whale fleas, and had a severe jaw injury that may affect normal feeding.
Whale B kept chasing after him, not knowing if it was because A was sick or because A always wanted to get rid of it.
The two whales were entangled like this for a while, and finally B caught up with AAnd the mating behavior begins in the water 3-5 meters below the boat.
Picture of humpback whale mating).
During mating, B is behind A, repeatedly inserted with ***, and the pectoral fins are used to hold each other in place.
Each mating lasted no more than 2 minutes, and after the last one, whale B dived into the water and did not reappear, and A stayed for a few minutes.
The two photographers quickly captured this scene with their lenses, and what is even more interesting is that the two humpback whales are not a female and a maleRather, there are two male humpback whales.
So, not only did they photograph humpback whales having sex for the first time, but they also photographed two male humpback whales having same-sex sex for the first time.
Picture of humpback whale mating).
Same-sex sexual behavior is common in the animal kingdom, such as dolphins and orcas, and has been observed and documented.
Sex between same-sex humpback whales has not been seen before, and this is the first evidence.
During this process, whale A often appears in an "S-shaped" posture, with an upward snout and a drooping tail.
Previously, scientists thought it was a defensive gesture that often occurred during threatening interactions, such as when a group of whales were competing or under pressure, and when a boat and diver were approaching.
So scientists speculate that this posture of whale A indicates that it does not like this same-sex sexual behavior, but does not have the physical strength to escape.
Strongman locks men. jpg
Picture of humpback whale mating).
Stephanie Stack, a whale researcher at the Pacific Whales Society and a contributor to the article, said the discovery challenges our preconceived notions about humpback whale behavior. ”
Although we recognized early on that these incredible creatures have complex social structures, it was still something special and remarkable to see two male whales having sex for the first time. ”
Based on this new discovery, scientists have determined that cetaceans such as humpback whales can engage in same-sex sexual activity through the gap or as a way to practice reproductive behavior, form social alliances, or assert some kind of dominance.
This new discovery is estimated to be enough for scientists to study for a while.