Move over humans; marine mammals, too, it seems, are not averse to an unabashed roll in the foam with their same-sex lovers. In what may be the very first time, humpback whales were photographed making love near the Hawaii Islands in the Pacific Ocean. And both happened to be male.
For several years, research has been conducted on this species of whale, but the male’s sexual organ has not been sighted often. In fact, male humpbacks have not been recorded mating with females.
According to a report in The Guardian newspaper, scientists confirmed that this particular homosexual encounter occurred two years ago. The photographs were clicked by Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano. Sexual relations within the same sex is actually fairly common among animals.
Stephanie Stack, a whale researcher at the Pacific Whale Foundation, said, “This discovery challenges our preconceived notions about humpback whale behaviour. 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.”
These gigantic creatures are approximately 16 metres long and can weigh up to 36 tons. Their summer activity includes living in polar waters and they then swim towards warmer waters for the seasons of fall and winter.
