Researchers have documented a female humpback whale interacting with her dead calf, a rare observation that suggests baleen whales may experience grief.

Marine biologist Olaf Meynecke and rescue boat captain Andrew Mulville have documented a female humpback whale exhibiting behavior described as grieflike toward her dead calf. The interaction, observed off the coast of Queensland, Australia, in July 2025, involved the mother repeatedly diving to the seafloor to make eye contact with the calf and resting her pectoral fin over its body.

Rare Observation of Baleen Whales

While toothed whales like orcas have been observed carrying dead calves for days, such behavior is rarely documented in baleen whales. Experts suggest this may be because newborn baleen whales lack the fat stores that would cause a carcass to float, meaning mothers interacting with dead calves on the seafloor are unlikely to be seen by humans. The authors believe this footage represents the first detailed documentation of a humpback whale attending to a calf after its death.

Details of the Encounter

The incident occurred off Palm Beach, Queensland, where Andrew Mulville of the Sea World Foundation spotted two adult humpback whales. Upon investigation, he identified amniotic membrane on the surface and a newborn calf less than four meters long on the seafloor. The mother and a male escort remained in the area for two additional days, leading researchers to conclude the behavior was prolonged. While Meynecke describes the event as emotional, he cautions against anthropomorphizing the whales, noting that they perceive their environment in ways distinct from humans.