
First-Ever Footage Captures Humpback Whale Mourning Stillborn Calf on Seafloor
Researchers in Australia have captured the first-ever footage of a humpback whale mother grieving her stillborn calf. The video, recorded in July 2025 off southeastern Australia, shows the mother repeatedly diving to make eye contact with her motionless baby and resting beside it on the seafloor for extended periods. Published in the journal Discover Animals, the study highlights this as an extremely rare observation, as only about 20 humpback births have been documented in scientific literature, none involving a stillbirth. The behavior, described as 'postmortem attentive behavior,' lasted at least 90 minutes and possibly longer, offering unprecedented insight into maternal grief in cetaceans.












