Scientists film whale giving birth while other whales work together to help her
theguardian.com • • world
Key Points:
- Scientists from Project Ceti successfully filmed a sperm whale named Rounder giving birth off the coast of Dominica, documenting rare cooperative behavior among female whales supporting the mother and newborn.
- The birth, lasting 34 minutes, involved unrelated adult females assisting by positioning themselves under the mother and helping keep the newborn afloat to facilitate its first breaths, a behavior previously only observed in primates.
- Researchers recorded changes in whale vocalizations during the birth and subsequent events, suggesting coordinated communication to support and protect the newborn calf.
- Sperm whale calves are born tail-first and initially sink, requiring assistance from pod members to prevent drowning; calves rely on their mother’s milk for two years and receive social support from the pod.
- After a year-long absence, the newborn was spotted thriving with other young pod members, indicating a positive survival outlook and highlighting the importance of social cooperation in sperm whale development.
