| Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented(phys.org) | |
| 243 points by wglb 27 days ago | 185 comments | |
tl;dr: Researchers from Griffith University and Sea World Foundation documented a humpback whale mother remaining with her stillborn calf for hours or possibly days off Australia's Gold Coast in 2025, marking the first published record of postmortem attendance behavior in baleen whales. While such grieving-like behavior has been observed in toothed whales and dolphins, this case suggests baleen whales may also exhibit strong maternal attachment and complex emotional responses to death. The findings were published in Discover Animals. | |
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