As of: March 2, 2024, 10:56 a.m
By: Natascha Berger
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For the first time, two male whales could be photographed mating.
© Lyle Krannichfeld & Brandi Romano
A mating of two humpback whales was documented for the first time off the coast of Maui.
This raises questions for the researchers - and not just because there were two males.
Maui – Not far from the Hawaiian island of Maui (USA), two humpback whales were photographed mating for the first time.
The social behavior of humpback whales has been studied by researchers for decades.
Reports of unusual encounters with the sea giants can also be found again and again in the media.
But especially when it comes to the sexual behavior of animals, many questions remain unanswered today.
The photos are all the more astonishing, as they not only document mating between humpback whales for the first time, but also show two male animals doing so.
Researchers express suspicion: Did sick humpback whale want to escape its fellow whale?
The fascinating images in the Pacific Ocean were taken over two years ago and have now been published in a scientific journal “Marine Mammal Science”.
On January 19, 2022, a ship with two photographers on board docked at the so-called Molokini Crater in the Pacific Ocean.
The semi-submerged crater is located around four kilometers from the island of Maui and is a popular destination for snorkeling and diving.
While the boat was at the crater, the two humpback whales approached.
The photographers Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano were able to capture the extraordinary encounter with their cameras underwater for around 30 minutes: One of the two sea giants appeared sick, had unusual brownish skin discoloration and whale lice.
The second whale followed the emaciated whale as it circled the boat.
In their study, the whale researchers express the suspicion that the sick whale may have sought protection but seemed too weak to escape the second humpback whale.
At a depth of around five meters, the photographers documented how the healthy whale penetrated the sick whale several times.
Most recently, the discovery of an ancient whale skeleton from Peru attracted attention.
Homosexual mating in humpback whales could have various reasons
Homosexual activity is not uncommon in the underwater world, the study shows.
Similar observations have already been made in walruses, dolphin species and seals, for example.
Mating without reproductive purposes can have various reasons in marine mammals.
For example, the animals try to reproduce and learn to establish a certain dominance among their own species, get rid of social tensions or form alliances.
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One of the humpback whales showed signs of illness.
The researchers suspect that he wanted to escape mating with his conspecific.
© Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano
In the case of the two humpback whales off Maui, the researchers assume that the healthy whale wanted to use the sexual act to either prove its dominance over the injured fellow whale or to establish a social relationship.
Unusual crossbreeding in the animal kingdom also occurs more frequently than expected - in the USA, a shark is said to have impregnated a stingray.
Hawaiian islands as a whale watching paradise
Hawaii is a popular spot for whale watching - whether for tourists or researchers.
From December to May, humpback whales migrate from the Gulf of Alaska to the shallow, warmer waters off the archipelago.
It is estimated that two-thirds of the entire humpback whale population returns to Hawaii during these months to give birth and raise their calves.
For this reason, many research groups in Hawaii have specialized in studying the social behavior of the 45-ton animals since the 1960s.
However, in order to better understand the sexual behavior of humpback whales, further research is needed, according to the study published in 2024.
(nbe)