Two male humpback whales were captured having sex for the first time in their species’ history.
The British news agency SWNS Media Group broke the news, which was initially detailed in a recent study conducted by a researcher at the Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF).
National Geographic, Live Science, and The Guardian all covered the study’s revelations. The whales’ intimate moment was observed by photographers Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano on January 19, 2022.
Maintaining a safe distance on a boat near the Hawaiian island of Maui, the duo documented the event. Upon approaching the boat, the photographers noticed that one of the whales was visibly thin and infested with whale lice, indicating poor health, as reported by SWNS.
According to the report, the second whale, which was in better health, approached the first whale and used its pectoral fins to stabilize the injured whale. It also made shallow, brief penetrations.
The whales then proceeded to swim around the boat a few times, allowing the photographers to capture photographs.
Throughout this encounter, Krannichfeld and Romano ensured they maintained a legal distance from the whales, as it is prohibited in Hawaii to swim with or approach humpback whales within 100 yards. Stephanie Stack, a whale researcher and the lead author of the paper published in Marine Animal Science interviewed the photographers about their experience.
“What they stumbled upon was an unprecedented observation. The groundbreaking photographs captured by Krannichfeld and Romano provide an unparalleled glimpse into the private lives of these majestic marine mammals,” the PWF said in a statement about Krannichfeld and Romano’s photographs.
The organization continued: “The health disparity between the two whales adds a layer of complexity to this unique observation. One whale’s poor condition, possibly caused by a ship strike, may have contributed to the observed behaviour,” noting that this is the first time homosexual behavior has been documented in humpback whales, though it is common among cetaceans.
