Humpback whales had never been seen humping before- until two males were caught having sex right under a boat.
It’s the first time humans have documented the species engaging in any type of sexual activity.
Even sightings of a humpback whale’s penis – which at up to 10ft long is longer than even the tallest human – is rare.
This is despite experts spending decades studying the social behaviour of these massive mammals, which can measure up to 16 metres long and weigh as much as 36 tons, The Guardian reported.
Now photos taken by Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano have changed that with a double whammy of firsts – the first sex, and the first gay sex, ever seen between humpback whales.
‘We realized pretty quickly that there was a scientific significance to it’, Krannichfeld, 44, said.
‘Even if there were no articles published or nothing ever came of it, we knew that it was important to the scientific community and those who were studying the whales just because of the unique behavior.’
He added: ‘Everybody that’s involved with them and who photographs them kind of realizes that that’s never been captured.
‘Mating and birth are the two main things that are still kind of unknown.’
The mystery of humpback sex is finally over thanks to the 30-minute sighting off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Maui in 2022, confirmed by scientists in a newly published study in the Marine Mammal Science journal.
Lead author Stephanie Stack, a whale researcher at the Pacific Whale Foundation, said: ‘This discovery challenges our preconceived notions about humpback whale behavior.
‘While we have long recognized the complex social structures of these incredible creatures, witnessing the copulation of two male whales for the first time is a unique and remarkable event.’
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The encounter took place just 15ft under the surface of the water, according to the study.
It involved a strong and healthy male penetrating another male that appeared ‘visibly emaciated’, with a coating of whale lice associated with whales that are injured or have lost mobility.
The ailing whale may have approached the boat to seek refuge from the other male.
Making ‘low energy movements’, it slowly tried to swim away from the stronger whale while it held it in place with its pectoral fins.
But without ‘any sudden or powerful movements’ it wasn’t able to evade the other animal.
Same-sex activity has been is common across animal species.
It is well-documented in bottlenose dolphins, but this is the first time it has been documented in humpback whales.
The paper said ‘the purpose for nonreproductive behavior is varied’, suggesting it to be to practice reproductive sex, assert dominance in relationships, form social alliances or reduce social tension,
Humpback whales and other cetaceans may use a genital slit or their anus for gay sex.
The genital slit is the usual hiding place of the rarely seen penis of a humpback whale, where it’s kept to streamline swimming.
An unsheathed penis has only been seen a handful of times before, including once when a whale was urinating.
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