Humpback Whale in Wild Observed Greiving for Stillborn Calf
Researchers said the mother stayed close for hours and may have remained nearby for nearly three days, a rare case of post-mortem attentive behavior.
- On Wednesday, researchers published a study in Discover Animals documenting a humpback whale mother exhibiting possible "grief behaviours" toward her stillborn calf off the coast of southeastern Australia in July 2025.
- Whale rescue boat captain Andrew Mulville captured footage of the female hovering over her newborn's motionless body on the seafloor, while accompanied by an "escort" that stayed nearby.
- Griffith University scientist Olaf Meynecke noted the behavior lasted for at least 90 minutes. Unlike toothed whales, the mother did not attempt to lift the calf, suggesting she realized it died during birth.
- Providing insight into "post-mortem attentive responses," the study noted that humpbacks possess "spindle neurons"—which underpin empathy—similar to other socially complex mammals that guard their dead.
- Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop of the University of Queensland cautioned that "descriptive case studies reporting the potential for animal emotions run the risk of anthropomorphising." She noted that terms like "grief" must be used with caution.
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INTELLINEWS
Courrier internationalA little over a year ago, off Australia, a whale specialist filmed the strange behavior of a female with her stillborn whale.
Before Australia's Gold Coast, researchers have observed how a humpback whale barely left the side of a dead young animal for hours. According to the scientists, this could indicate mother's grief.
Grief seems to exist in humpback whales, according to research published in Australia on Thursday, following the observation of one of these marine mammals who seemed to mourn his still-born baby.
The bereavement seems to exist in humpback whales, according to research published in Australia on Thursday. The latter were born from the observation in Australia of one of these marine mammals that seemed to weep his little, stillborn. - "Dechirant": a humpback whale filmed in mourning, advance researchers (Sciences).
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