The scene was captured off the coast of Hawaii in January 2022 and has been verified in a new scientific study by the Marine Mammal Science journal.

The research reported that copulations have never previously been documented and sightings of an unsheathed penis are rare.

This is due to a penis ordinarily being “concealed inside the animal’s genital slit”. This has been presumed to allow the mammal to be more hydrodynamic in the water.

In a male cetacean, such as a humpback whale, a penis can be inserted into the genital slit or anus of another male.

Gay behaviour is not unusual amongst aquatic mammals, with dolphins and orca whales previously spotted having same-sex activity.

The photographers, Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano, captured the activity between two whales 2km off the west coast of the Molokini crater off the island of Maui.

According to the research, “Whale B repeatedly approached from the rear of Whale A and penetrated the second whale, appearing to hold Whale A in place with its pectoral fins.”

Penetrations were judged “to be a few centimetres in depth” and each penetration lasted “two minutes in duration”.

Holding another whale with its pectoral fin to aid copulation has been described in historical research as a “strong impression that the humpback whale was engaging in courtship behaviour.”

Whale A was seen to be “visibly emaciated and covered in whale lice,” a symptom that is common on whales that are “injured or have reduced mobility”. Whale B was reported as being healthy.

The study has flagged the importance of the contrast between a healthy whale penetrating an ailing one and the “need for further research to explore the motivations”.

The only other recorded incident was in 1998 when a male humpback whale was “extruding its penis adjacent” to the floating body of a deceased humpback whale.

This historic moment garnered an uproarious response from social media – check out the best reactions from X (formerly Twitter below) below.

ive loved whales forever but learning that they have gay orgies has cemented them firmly as my favorite of all time

— zach「❒」 (@zachthenarrat0r) February 29, 2024

Gay whales huh? https://t.co/3nvQpcS5bY pic.twitter.com/9zW3bCpg73

— Alys 🏳️‍🌈 💕 saw Harry singing sparkly bi music (@wewerebraverOTB) February 29, 2024

you know of all animals i expected to be having gay sex out there it wasnt the humpback whales

— greedy gumball gobbler (@geometryyaoi) February 29, 2024

Oh to be a whale having gay sex with another whale

— Zaphod Beeblebrox ✿ 🌈 (@dragonfudge) February 29, 2024

Gay whale sex was not on my daily Twitter bingo card.

I now know whales have gay sex.

What a time to be alive. https://t.co/7ZkNpL8Ypx

— Snowy Z, ENVTuber❄️🎲 (@Snowy_Zett) February 29, 2024

the world is dark of late, quite dark indeed and filled with woe. on the bright side, whale gay sex https://t.co/iIsfsdT0qm

— ⁂ (@polclarissou) February 29, 2024

Gay sex whales let’s gooooooo

— Mark 🏳️‍🌈 (@Mark55____) February 28, 2024

So until proven otherwise, all humpback whales are gay. Right. https://t.co/cGhyGP4nlQ

— Viereeeee 🇵🇸 | FREE PALESTINE! (@notviereeeee) February 29, 2024