The Sex Life of the Blue Whale

The blue whale is the largest mammal to have ever existed on Earth. You'd think that would make it reasonably easy to monitor, but it's actually a highly solitary and reclusive species, especially when compared to other whales. There are numerous unknowns concerning the social order and interactions of blue whales, but their mating and breeding habits remain a mystery to humans.

Don't get them wrong: scientists have studied the anatomy of blue whales and understand the mechanisms involved, but they are unsure about blue whale mating behavior or the offspring they generate. give birth again and again They have yet to record the two blue whales mating, so they must draw conclusions from their near cousin, the humpback whale, which is far less shy when performing first. camera.

Humpback whales engage in what is known as a hot run, in which one or more males chase a female whale over long distances in the hopes of mating with her. Some researchers believe they filmed two blue whales doing the same thing for the first time in 2017, but other experts are skeptical.