Humpback Whale’s Grief Over Stillborn Calf Reveals Emotional Complexity

New research has captured rare footage of a female humpback whale grieving a stillborn calf. The footage, recorded off Australia’s Gold Coast, offers unique insights into the emotional world of these marine mammals. It shows the female whale remaining close to her lifeless calf on the seafloor. A companion accompanies her as she makes eye contact and touches the calf with her head and fin.

Andrew Mulville from the Sea World Foundation witnessed the scene, describing the behavior as unexpected. The whale stayed with the dead calf for several hours, possibly even days.

Olaf Meynecke, from Griffith University’s Whales and Climate Research Program, commented on the bond between the mother and calf. He suggested the whale’s actions might indicate grief.

“It’s really sad,” Meynecke shared. “Watching this female maintain contact with the deceased calf is heartbreaking.”

Published on September 16, 2026, in Discover Animals, this study marks the first documented occurrence of such behavior in humpback whales. The whale did not attempt to bring the calf to the surface, implying she might have recognized its death shortly after birth.

Marine mammals displaying similar grief include an orca in 2018. The orca drew attention by carrying her dead calf for over two weeks.

Meynecke noted that while non-human mammals like elephants and apes are known for complex grieving, observing this in marine environments is rare.

This footage was revealed after a separate milestone. A humpback whale birth captured by drone in Australia is believed to be the first of its kind.

Additionally, research in May documented two humpbacks swimming a record-breaking distance between breeding grounds. One whale traveled approximately 9,383 miles from Brazil to Australia’s Hervey Bay over 22 years.