Humpback Whale Mother Displays Grief Over Stillborn Calf

A recent observation of a humpback whale mother exhibiting prolonged care for her deceased calf has provided compelling evidence that whales, like humans, may experience grief. The footage, captured off the southern Gold Coast in Australia last year, shows the mother whale remaining with her stillborn calf for several hours, and potentially days.

Researchers from Griffith University noted the mother whale's consistent proximity to the calf, maintaining eye contact and positioning herself alongside it. Lead author Dr. Olaf Meynecke described the behavior as "consistent with care–giving or nurturing actions and post–mortem attentive responses documented in socially complex mammals, and indicated an inherent, strong maternal attachment to the calf."

This observation marks the first documented instance of such post-mortem behavior in a baleen whale, although similar attentive responses have been previously recorded in toothed whales and delphinids.

Rescue Boat Captain Andrew Mulville from the Sea World Foundation witnessed the interaction. "When I actually worked out what was happening, I was totally surprised," Mulville stated. "At first sight, I thought it was just two whales resting on the surface, but their behaviour was unusual. It was definitely not what I was expecting to see out at sea that day."

The findings are significant for understanding the emotional lives and social bonds of whales. "This case study highlights the need for continued systematic documentation of rare neonatal mortality events to better understand the cognitive, emotional, and evolutionary significance of post-mortem behaviour in large whales," Dr. Meynecke added. "Understanding how non-human animals responded to death provides insight into their emotional lives, social bonds, and cognitive capacities."

The study's findings align with recent research on other species, including a study that found cats exhibit signs of mourning after the death of a companion animal. That research indicated that the duration of a cat's relationship with a deceased pet influenced the intensity of grieving behaviors, such as changes in sleeping, eating, and seeking attention.