Only 7% of male New Caledonian humpback whales have fathered offspring in 25 years, according to a recent study.
Indeed, this group of researchers photographed whales between 1995 and 2019, or around 25 years, and also carried out genetic work using tissue samples collected from these mammals, still over this time interval. After finding 995 genetic samples from adult males that could be used to identify the fathers of 177 pairs, they identified the father of 79 calves. And that's when they realized that only 7% of males had fathered offspring.
Are females the cause?
A figure which is surprising, particularly given the number of male individuals and the period of time elapsed between the start and end of the study. Phys.org gives us the most probable hypothesis that could explain this result. According to the researchers, this low percentage is partly due to females.
Indeed, during the breeding season, males have the habit of singing “songs” as long as they are complex to find a partner. Scientists suggest that female whales look for specific characteristics in their mating partners and that few males match their criteria.
Animals that have difficulty reproducing
Humpback whales, which migrate to New Caledonia each year from June to September, are not the only ones having difficulty having newborns. For example, the giant panda is known for its low reproductive rate, due to the difficulty in finding a mate and the short fertility period among females.
Other species also have difficulty producing offspring, such as the Javan rhino and the Siberian tiger, two species in danger of extinction. The kakapo, the California condor, and the sloth are also well-known examples.
Source: Phys.org
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