Older male humpbacks are reclaiming their dominance as ocean populations recover
As humpback whale populations rebound from near-extinction, older males are shifting from singing complex songs to using physical competition to secure mates, mirroring behaviors seen decades ago.
Male humpback whales are increasingly choosing physical brawling over melodic singing to attract mates as their numbers rise. In the 1990s, when populations were lower, males used intricate songs to find distant females. Now that pods are denser, researchers have observed a significant shift toward competitive group fighting.
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