Researchers have documented a female humpback whale staying close to her stillborn calf off Australia’s Gold Coast in July 2025. Published in September 2026, the rare underwater footage shows the mother diving to the seafloor, touching the newborn with her fin, and holding eye contact in what scientists describe as potential grief behavior.
Marine researchers have captured what they believe is the first detailed, scientifically documented case of a humpback whale mother attending her deceased newborn calf. The encounter took place in July 2025 in waters off Palm Beach on Australia’s Gold Coast, though the peer-reviewed documentation was published later in the journal Discover Animals.
Underwater Footage Captures Rare Post-Mortem Vigil
The moment unfolded when a rescue boat captain floating nearby noticed unusual activity at the surface. Andrew Mulville of the Sea World Foundation was on the water that morning when he spotted two adult humpbacks milling about over a reef.
At first sight, I thought it was just two whales resting on the surface, but their behaviour was unusual. It was definitely not what I was expecting to see out at sea that day.
Andrew Mulville, Sea World Foundation
Moments after observing an amniotic membrane drifting free on the surface, Mulville submerged an underwater camera. The mother repeatedly executed short dives lasting one to two minutes, positioning herself beside the newborn, nudging it with her head and pectoral fin, and maintaining eye contact before returning to the surface.
Why Baleen Whale Stillbirths Are Almost Never Filmed
Unlike toothed whales and porpoises, newborn humpback whales lack the thick blubber layer required to float. Without an adult whale actively supporting them, lifeless calves sink immediately to the seabed. This rapid descent makes post-mortem encounters nearly impossible to spot from a distance, leaving a significant gap in scientists’ understanding of how filter-feeding cetaceans process infant mortality.
Comparing Cetacean Responses to Death
While post-mortem attendance is documented in other marine mammals, the behavior manifests differently across species. Dolphins account for more than 90 percent of recorded cases, and certain toothed whales display intense carrying behaviors (notably the orca Tahlequah, who famously carried her dead calf for 17 days over 1,500 kilometers in 2018).
In contrast, the humpback mother documented off the Gold Coast never attempted to lift her calf toward the surface. Researchers suggest this might indicate she recognised the calf had died shortly after giving birth. Accompanied by a second adult escort whale, the mother remained in the immediate area for at least two hours, while members of the public reported seeing two adult humpbacks in the same location over the following two days.
Scientific Interpretation and Emotional Complexities
Researchers are cautious about strictly labeling the observed actions as human grief, emphasizing the challenge of measuring emotional states in marine mammals. However, the continuous physical contact and the suspension of normal travel or socializing behaviors closely mirror responses seen in other highly social mammals such as elephants and great apes.
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 Olaf Meynecke, Griffith University’s Whales and Climate Program
Even so, scientists agree that systematic documentation of such rare neonatal events remains essential for mapping the cognitive and emotional dimensions of large whales.
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