March 26 (Reuters) – When a mother sperm whale gives birth, it is a remarkable team effort. Marine biologists have documented how multiple adult female sperm whales surrounded the mother as the whale gave birth, then collectively hoisted the calf out of the water as the newborn took its first breaths.With observations in the eastern Caribbean off Dominica’s coast, the researchers offered the most detailed account to date of the birth process in sperm whales or any cetacean – the group that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises – in the wild. Sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales and possess the biggest brain, about 18 pounds (8 kg), of any animal.The researchers witnessed an episode of highly coordinated cooperation in which 11 sperm whales – 10 females including the mother and a single adolescent male in a peripheral role – were present for the birth and helped ensure the calf’s safety.AdvertisementAdvertisementUsing drone video, underwater audio and shipboard photography, scientists with the Project CETI research organization documented the event on July 8, 2023. The birth process lasted about 34 minutes, from flukes emerging from the mother to the calf’s delivery.Multiple adult females surrounded the mother, a whale nearly 33 feet (10 meters) long. Sets of whales then took turns in physically supporting and lifting the newborn to the ocean surface.The findings were published on Thursday in two studies in the journals Science and Scientific Reports.”We observed a highly cooperative period of caregiving right after birth. The whales formed a very tight cluster around the newborn, repeatedly touched it, supported it with their bodies and took turns lifting and pushing it toward the surface. The lifting behavior continued for several hours,” …
