Humpback Whale Mother Stays Beside Her Dead Calf in Heartbreaking Encounter

A humpback whale mother stayed beside her dead calf for hours, possibly days, in a rare encounter that raises questions about how these ocean giants experience loss. Researchers from Griffith University and the SeaWorld Foundation documented the encounter off the southern Gold Coast in 2025. The female, accompanied by an escort whale, had given birth recently, but the calf was found dead. The mother's behavior suggests a level of grief and attachment that is not well understood in marine mammals.