Humpback Whale in Wild Observed Greiving for Stillborn Calf
- 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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In footage taken last year, the female whale appears to stay close to the lifeless body of her calf and constantly touch it.
Le Journal de Montreal
Le Journal de QuebecGrief appears to exist in humpback whales, following the observation of one of these marine mammals who seemed to be crying his still-born baby.
Humpback Whale Caught on Camera Grieving Stillborn Calf in Rare Video | 🌎 LatestLY
A rare video recorded off Australia’s Gold Coast shows a female humpback whale repeatedly returning to her stillborn calf on the seafloor after giving birth. Researchers say the behavior is the first documented case of postmortem attentive behavior toward a stillborn calf in humpback whales, while cautioning that grief cannot be confirmed. 🌎 Humpback Whale Caught on Camera Grieving Stillborn Calf in Rare Video.
The video shows a humpback whale with her newborn baby, who died shortly after birth.One study analyzed the images and documented the mother's behavior in the face of her baby's death.
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