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October 10, 2025
How a Whale’s Wake Can Reveal Its Sex
Ever wondered how researchers find out the gender of a whale? With Ocean Wise’s new findings, there could be another way!
Recent research shows that the way whales glide through water, specifically their wake patterns, can reveal clues about their sex. By studying the geometry, turbulence, and displacement of water behind a whale, scientists can infer differences in body shape and movement between males and females. This novel method provides marine researchers with a new, noninvasive tool for sexing whales in the wild, aiding population studies, tracking reproductive success, and understanding whale behaviour without the need for intrusive sampling.
This breakthrough blends physics, biology, and ocean science to offer deeper insights into the lives of these giants, and underscores how much more there is to learn beneath the surface. Prince of Whales is proud to support Ocean Wise in their research that shows significant findings just like this one.
Please consider supporting Ocean Wise as they’re doing critical work to protect marine ecosystems and advance whale research. Your support helps fuel projects like this one.
Want to dive deeper? Read the full article and learn more about the wake-based techniques that could change how we study whales!
