A female bottlenose dolphin named Fraggle was observed mourning her dead newborn calf in Western Australia's Leschenault Estuary.

A female bottlenose dolphin named Fraggle was observed mourning her dead newborn calf in Western Australia's Leschenault Estuary. Researchers from Geographe Marine Research recorded the dolphin carrying her lifeless infant, which had been born only two weeks prior, for six days. The calf showed signs of declining health, including a high respiratory rate, before eventually succumbing to the challenges of a winter birth. This loss marks the fourth consecutive calf death for Fraggle. Marine biologists describe this behavior as a form of non-human grieving or 'postmortem attentive behavior,' where the mother keeps the body near the surface to prevent it from sinking. While the mother carries the calf, she may temporarily sacrifice her own feeding to maintain the close bond. Other dolphins in the pod joined Fraggle during her mourning period, highlighting the strong social and family bonds within the species. Researchers shared the footage to raise awareness about the small dolphin population in the estuary and the challenges they and their newborns face during colder months.

Sources

• ndtv.com
  Video: Mother Dolphin Refuses To Let Dead Newborn Sink, Carries It For Days
• The Independent
  Mother dolphin filmed carrying dead calf through sea for six days in heartbreaking footage
• KFOX
  Dolphin mourns loss of newborn calf in rare, emotional scene captured by researchers
• Anadolu Ajansı
  Mother dolphin carries dead calf through Western Australian estuary