Quick Take
- A dolphin mother carrying her dead calf may not be doing what it looks like. The real reason behind the behavior is far more complicated. Explore the real reason →
- The death of one calf doesn't just devastate a mother. It triggers a chain reaction across the entire group. See the group's response →
- Carrying a dead calf is actually a signal, though scientists debate exactly what message it sends. Discover the social signal →
- What looks unmistakably like grief may not meet the scientific bar, and that distinction matters more than you might expect. See the scientific debate →
Grieving is something that all humans have in common. However, did you know that some animals grieve in their own ways as well? Dolphins are known to mourn the loss of other dolphins, reflecting their emotional intelligence. This Instagram post by @cbsnews shows a dolphin mother who sadly lost her calf.
Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals on Earth, including in terms of emotional intelligence.
©Don Whitebread/Shutterstock.com
How Dolphins Grieve
The video above is truly heartbreaking, featuring a dolphin carrying her dead calf. This is an example of epimeletic behavior, which is when an animal nurtures a sick or dead member of their group. Epimeletic behavior is commonly seen in dolphins, specifically between mothers and their calves. In the video, the mother is carefully supporting and carrying her daughter. Since dolphin newborns often need support from their mother before they learn to swim on their own, the mother’s instincts are most likely leading her to carry her calf, which she might not yet realize is dead. While it’s unknown how long she will continue this behavior, mothers have been observed tending to their dead calves for hours or even days at a time. Eventually, though, the mother will leave the dead calf behind.
As dolphins are social creatures, other members of the group are often aware of what is happening. The death of one individual often doesn’t just affect the mother, but the entire group. Other dolphins may offer support to the mother and remain close to her. The mother carrying her dead calf can be a social signal to the others that she needs help with her calf and that something is wrong, prompting others to put in effort as well. This highlights how social these animals are, and how willing they are to care for each other. While it may look like the mother is grieving, there is no way to know for certain. This is a single example of how dolphins respond to death, and its deeper meaning remains difficult to interpret definitively.
