Humpback Whale Seen Grieving Dead Calf in Rare Footage: Emotional Behavior Observed
New footage captures a humpback whale grieving its stillborn calf, revealing rare emotional behavior in marine mammals.
POLICY WIRE — Gold Coast, Australia — A female humpback whale has been observed displaying what appears to be grief after the stillbirth of her calf, according to new research released this week. The footage, captured off the Australian coast last year, shows the mother remaining close to the lifeless calf for an extended period.
The video reveals the whale maintaining eye contact with the deceased calf and using its head and fins to touch the animal. Andrew Mulville from the Sea World Foundation described the moment as unexpected, noting that he initially thought the whales were simply resting on the surface. However, their unusual behavior soon became clear.
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Researchers believe the mother remained with the calf for several hours or even days, suggesting she may have recognized its death shortly after giving birth. Olaf Meynecke of Griffith University’s Whales and Climate Research Program called the scene heartbreaking, emphasizing the strong bond between mother and calf. Similar behaviors have been seen in other marine animals, such as orcas, but such observations remain rare in the ocean.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
