Two male Humpback whales caught in a steamy, NSFWW (not suitable for whale workplace) encounter off the coast of Maui, and scientists are calling it a groundbreaking discovery.
In a shocking turn of events, two male Humpback whales were recently caught in a steamy, NSFWW (not suitable for whale workplace) encounter off the coast of Maui. This groundbreaking discovery was made by photographers Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano, who were lucky enough to witness the rare event while out at sea.
According to a new study published in Marine Mammal Science by the Pacific Whale Foundation, humpback whales have been extensively studied, but documented instances of reproductive actions have been few and far between. However, thanks to the keen eyes of Krannichfeld and Romano, this is no longer the case.
The encounter took place on January 19, 2022, just 2 kilometers west of the Molokini crater. The two male humpbacks were spotted engaging in sexual contact right below the photographers’ boat, giving them the perfect opportunity to capture the moment on camera.
The photos were then sent to scientists, who confirmed in a peer-reviewed study that this was one of the very few documented instances of humpback penis extrusion and the very first documented instance of homosexual interactions between humpbacks.
According to the Pacific Whale Foundation, the sighting occurred when the photographers were aboard a private stationary vessel and noticed two humpback whales approaching their boat. One of the whales was visibly thin and covered in whale lice, displaying signs of poor health and drawing the attention of the photographers.
During the encounter, the second whale surprised everyone by repeatedly approaching the first whale, using its pectoral fins to hold the injured whale in place, and initiating shallow, brief penetrations. The whales even circled the boat numerous times, giving the photographers ample opportunity to take their NSFWW photos.
Scientists with the Pacific Whale Foundation hypothesized that the health issues of one of the whales may have contributed to this unexpected behavior. The poor condition of the whale, possibly caused by a ship strike, may have played a role in the observed interactions.
The sexual encounter between the whales reportedly lasted for about a half hour, with the penetrations lasting about two minutes at a time. When it was over, the whale doing the penetrating took off right away (typical), and the sick whale hung out for a few minutes before swimming away as well.
Upon reviewing the photographs, the scientists were able to confirm that one of the whales had inserted its penis into the genital opening of the other whale. This groundbreaking discovery sheds light on the complex and diverse behaviors of humpback whales.
So next time you’re out at sea, keep your eyes peeled for some unexpected and steamy whale encounters. Who knows what other groundbreaking discoveries are waiting to be made?
