Scientists observed, for the first time, behaviors by a female humpback whale toward her calf that could be interpreted as mourning, after the whale was believed to have given birth to a stillborn calf off the Gold Coast in southern Queensland in 2025. According to a study by Griffith University researchers published in Discover Animals, the two adult whales, seen approximately 1 km offshore, did not display aggression. The larger whale, believed to be the mother, made short dives and shed its amniotic membrane about 30 minutes later. GoPro footage showed her approaching the small calf on the seafloor, touching it with her head and pectoral fin, and maintaining eye contact while remaining motionless for at least one minute. The whale was believed to have remained beside her calf for several hours, possibly several days. The researchers stated that such behaviors had previously been observed in toothed whales and dolphins but had not been documented in baleen whales. It was said that the behavior was consistent with caregiving or protective actions in socially complex mammals and could reflect a strong maternal bond.
Why it matters
This observation expands the scope of scientific records on grief-like behaviors to include baleen whales, meaning that discussions of caregiving, protection and the mother-calf bond are no longer limited to toothed whales and dolphins. The findings also demonstrate the value of individual events and visual evidence in assessing whale behavior. However, because it is not possible to directly verify an animal’s internal experience of grief, the cautious interpretation used by the researchers remains decisive. An open question is whether this behavior will also be observed in other female humpback whales, how widespread it is within the species and under what conditions it emerges.