In July of last year off Palm Beach near the Gold Coast, researchers documented a female humpback whale interacting with her stillborn calf in a rare display of post-mortem attentive behavior. Captured by SeaWorld Foundation rescue boat captain Andrew Mulville using an underwater camera, the footage reveals the mother diving, touching the newborn with her head and fin, and lying alongside it on the sea floor for at least two hours while accompanied by an escort whale.
Decoding Marine Mammal Post-Mortem Attentive Behavior
The encounter, which researchers from Griffith University’s Whales and Climate Research Program detailed in a report published in the Discover Animals journal, offers a look at how baleen whales react to neonatal loss. Dr. Olaf Meynecke, co-author of the report, noted that the whales were neither traveling nor socializing. Instead, they remained in a fixed area, milling and turning.
“Having the background knowledge of the strong bond between mother and calf, and then witnessing the response of a female towards a stillborn is obviously a very unique way of observing animal behaviour and understanding what the responses might be when a situation like this occurs,” Dr. Meynecke said.
For marine biologists, observing this specific reaction in humpbacks has historically been difficult. Unlike toothed whales and dolphins—such as orcas, which are documented carrying dead calves for hours or days at a time—humpback calves are less buoyant and sink rapidly to the ocean floor after death.
Field Observations and Escort Dynamics
Andrew Mulville was out fishing on his day off when he received reports of whales acting strangely in shallow waters near Palm Beach Reef. Upon arrival, he noticed an amniotic sac floating near the surface and immediately deployed a GoPro beneath the surface.
“That was a huge part of what made me even think to put my head underwater in the first place because it was something I’ve never seen before,” Mulville said. “It was a pretty powerful moment, but I suppose at the same time it was nature, and pretty emotional underwater with the sounds of both the mother and also a second adult companion animal there.”
According to Dr. Meynecke, public sightings over the subsequent two days suggested the animals may have stayed near the deceased calf for nearly three days. The mother appeared to be a younger, smaller female, pointing to the possibility that it might have been her first. Visual inspections underwater indicated repeated attempts at physical contact, with the mother gently nudging the calf and lingering near the body without attempting to push it to the surface for air.
Scientific Interpretation and Evolutionary Context
While researchers hesitate to label the behavior strictly as human-equivalent grief, they acknowledge that complex cognitive and emotional processing is likely at play. Dr. Meynecke pointed out that science cannot definitively prove an animal is experiencing grief, noting that alternative explanations could include confusion or a misfired caregiving instinct.
However, comparative neurology provides a physiological framework for these complex reactions. Brain studies have confirmed the presence of spindle neurons—specialized cells linked to social awareness and empathy—in humpbacks, as well as in other mammals like elephants and chimpanzees.
Dr. Vanessa Pirotta, a whale scientist from Macquarie University who was not involved in the research, noted that interpreting the behavior remains challenging. Yet, given the strength of the maternal bond in baleen species, the event underscores the profound impact of neonatal loss.
Researchers hope that increased deployment of underwater cameras and drones will allow for more consistent documentation of similar marine mammal behaviors. Understanding these baseline emotional and physical responses provides vital context for evaluating how whales react to stressors, such as entanglement in fishing gear.
