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Intimate Social Behavior Among Humpback Whale Males

Three humpback whale males engaged in social behavior, much of which appeared quite intimate. The whale pictured here nuzzling the ventral area of another whale exhibited this behavior for an extended period, including stroking of the second whale’s urogenital area. The whale being nuzzled emitted a dark fluid at one point. It was unclear what that emission comprised.

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Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
Image Size: 4417x2945 / 10.6MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Humpback Whale Animalia Chordata Mammalia Eutheria Cetacea Mysticeti Balaenopteridae Megaptera novaeangliae Cetartiodactyla Baleen Whale CITES Appendix 1 Filter Feeder Endangered: IUCN Red List Marine Mammal Mysticete Rorqual Male Socializing South Pacific Tonga Vava'u
Contained in galleries: Humpback Whales Underwater

Three humpback whale males engaged in social behavior, much of which appeared quite intimate. The whale pictured here nuzzling the ventral area of another whale exhibited this behavior for an extended period, including stroking of the second whale’s urogenital area. The whale being nuzzled emitted a dark fluid at one point. It was unclear what that emission comprised.