Humpback whale documented exhibiting post-mortem behavior toward stillborn calf

Researchers have documented the first known instance of post-mortem attentive behavior in humpback whales. New research published in the journal Discover Animals details an encounter off Australia’s Gold Coast where a female humpback whale remained with her stillborn calf on the seafloor.

Footage captured in July 2025 shows the mother hovering near the motionless newborn, making eye contact and repeatedly touching the calf with her head and pectoral fin. Accompanied by another adult whale, the mother stayed with the deceased animal for several hours, and potentially days.

Lead researcher Olaf Meynecke of Griffith University noted that while such behaviors have been observed in toothed whales and dolphins, this is the first recorded instance in a baleen whale. Scientists suggest the mother’s actions may represent a form of grief-related behavior and highlight the strong maternal bonds found in socially complex marine mammals.