• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

WHALE TRUST MAUI

Conducting, Promoting and Supporting Whale Research and Education in Maui, Hawai‘i

  • ABOUT
    • WHALE TRUST MAUI
    • MISSION & VISION
    • About Our Research
    • WHY MAUI?
    • History & Milestones
    • TEAM
      • RESEARCH TEAM
      • LEADERSHIP & STAFF
    • MAUI WHALE WATCH PARTNERS
    • FINANCIALS
  • RESEARCH
    • WHALE SONG
      • Structure & Composition
      • Singing Behavior
      • MAUI MYSTERY SOUNDS
    • MATING BEHAVIOR
      • MALE-FEMALE INTERACTIONS
      • FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR
    • PHOTO & VIDEO RESEARCH
    • COLLABORATIONS
    • PUBLICATIONS & REPORTS
  • EDUCATION
    • K-12 School Outreach
    • Our Students
    • BOOKS
    • FILMS
    • EXPEDITIONS
    • WHALE TALES
  • GALLERIES
    • Photo
    • Video
    • SONG & SOUND
  • GET INVOLVED
    • VOLUNTEER
    • CONTACT US
    • READ OUR NEWSLETTER
  • NEWS
    • BLOG
    • WHALE TRUST IN THE NEWS
  • WHALE TALES
  • DONATE
  • SHOP
  • CART

Whale Trust Maui

New Function for Bubbles Observed in Hawaiian Humpback Breeding Grounds

November 28, 2022 by Whale Trust Maui

Read Full Paper: Female Humpback Whale Positions Genital-Mammary Area to Intercept Bubbles Emitted by Males on the Hawaiian Breeding Grounds

Aquatic Mammals 2022, 48(6), 617-620, DOI 10.1578/AM.48.6.2022.617

Humpback whales are well known for their use of bubbles. One of their most widely documented uses occurs in a feeding context where either an individual or group of humpbacks utilize a variety of bubble-based tactics to net, trap, and herd their prey. 

Flip Nicklin/Minden Pictures. NMFS Permit #19225.

We report a different use of bubbles by humpbacks in the Hawaiian breeding grounds on multiple occasions between 2000 and 2003 in the Au’au Channel off West Maui, Hawaii. Our research team at Whale Trust filmed a 14-minute interaction between multiple males and one female in which the males circled the female and produced bubbles directed toward the female’s swollen genital region. The female appeared to tolerate and possibly aid in the reception of these bubbles. We have observed similar scenarios on multiple other occasions as well.

These observations are intriguing and reveal a new dimension to male-female interactions on the breeding grounds. There are two primary contexts within which to consider this behavior:

 (1) To maximize mating opportunities – Mating/Estrus Female 

  • In the scenario that the female was present to mate and in estrus (a recurring state of sexual receptivity and fertility in many female mammals) this could explain her receptiveness of the males and the males’ attention toward the female. 
  • In this case, we could speculate that this interaction may serve a sexual purpose such as helping stimulate the female prior to intercourse or assisting in the release of chemical cues that could signal to the male her reproductive status and readiness to mate. 

(2) To ensure successful birth and calf development – Late Pregnant Female

  • In the scenario that the female present was a late pregnant female and about to give birth, this could explain her extended girth, swollen genitals, and even the presence of multiple males around a birthing female. 
  • In this case, we could speculate that the bubbles could stimulate the release of hormones, such as oxytocin, known to be vital in the birthing process.
  • The pressing question is, if this is the correct case, why are males involved and not females? What is in it for the males?

While interpretation of the use of bubbles in our recording and their exact meaning remains speculative, it does show the complex and wide array of bubble use in humpback whales. Future research aimed at understanding the hormonal state of male and female humpbacks within different social groups and situations on breeding grounds should provide the insight needed to determine the correct context for the behavior patterns described here. 

Humpback Chronicles, Episode 32

November 18, 2020 by Whale Trust Maui

Whale Trust Research Photographer Flip Nicklin hosts a weekly talk story about humpback whales and the history of whale research.

This week Flip talks with Ted Cheeseman, Co-Founder and CEO of Happywhale. Happywhale is a citizen science and research collaboration web platform that uses automated image recognition to identify individual humpback whales and has cataloged over 124,000 whale encounters. Upload your photo and find out where your whale has been and where it goes.

Click here to visit happywhale.com

Humpback Chronicles Episode 27

October 14, 2020 by Whale Trust Maui

In this week’s Humpback Chronicles, Flip presents “Whale Windows,” a video from the early 2000s showing Whale Trust’s use of imaging technology to share the wonders and mysteries of humpback behavior.

Send your questions to humpbacks@whaletrust.org!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Humpback Chronicles Episode 26

October 7, 2020 by Whale Trust Maui

In this week’s Humpback Chronicles, Flip is joined by Whale Trust co-founders Meagan Jones and Jim Darling, and Chairman of the Board Allen Jones to share the story of establishing Whale Trust as a nonprofit research organization in 2001.

Send your questions to humpbacks@whaletrust.org!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Humpback Chronicles Episode 25: Lahaina Whale Ohana

September 30, 2020 by Whale Trust Maui

In this week’s Humpback Chronicles, Flip is again joined by Tad Luckey and Mike Bennett to share more memories of the early days of the Lahaina whale ohana.

Bonus!

Stay tuned at the end of this week’s Chronicle for the Mike and Tad Show!

Send your questions to humpbacks@whaletrust.org.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Humpback Chronicles, Episode 24

September 24, 2020 by Whale Trust Maui

In this week’s Humpback Chronicles, Flip is joined by Tad Luckey and Mike Bennett to share memories from the early 1970s in Lahaina, including the story behind the first whale watch out of Lahaina Harbor!

Send your questions to humpbacks@whaletrust.org!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 11
  • Go to Next Page »

Footer

Ways to Support Whale Trust:

Subscribe Volunteer Donate Shop

Mailing Address
Whale Trust
PO Box 1360
Puunene, Hawaii 96784


Phone
(808) 572-5700

Copyright © 2023 · Whale Trust Maui · Log in

Copyright © 2023 · Atmosphere Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in