Weeping whales: Stillborn humpback whale grieving documented
The gist
A humpback whale mother off Australia stayed with her stillborn calf, touching it and staring eye-to-eye.
Such postmortem attention is nearly undocumented in baleen whales, and grief remains unsettled.
How it unfolded
- Jul 2025A female humpback whale with an escort was observed off the southern Gold Coast, Queensland, after a presumed stillbirth; the mother remained with the calf for several hours and possibly days, making repeated contact with her head and pectoral fin and positioning herself eye-to-eye alongside it.
- Sep 16, 2026Research documenting the event was published in the journal Discover Animals, followed by coverage from outlets including Phys.org, Yahoo/CBS/AFP, Live Science and Chicago Star Media.
- Sep 17, 2026 -18, 2026Further coverage appeared from Griffith News, NBC Los Angeles, Artvoice and Smithsonian Magazine.