Scientists Film Sperm Whale Birth With Help From the Pod

Rare Birth at Sea

Researchers filmed a sperm whale giving birth in the wild, capturing an event that is rarely documented. At first, scientists watching from boats were unsure what they were seeing: a group of 11 sperm whales clustered tightly together at the surface, unusually still and making occasional shallow dives.

After about an hour, the whales began to thrash, and blood spread through the water, leading the researchers to fear that something had gone wrong, possibly a shark attack. Instead, a much smaller, 12th whale suddenly appeared. The other whales lifted the newborn to the surface so it could breathe.

Evidence of Group Assistance

The episode was analyzed in two studies published Thursday in the journals *Science* and *Scientific Reports*. The findings add to a growing body of research suggesting that humans are not the only species in which mothers receive some form of help during and after birth.

One of the study authors, Alaa Maalouf of Project CETI, said the scene did not resemble human midwifery in a direct sense, but it clearly showed assistance and support for both the mother and the calf. Project CETI, a nonprofit whale research group, happened upon the birth and documented and analyzed the event.

Role of the Wider Group

Researchers noted that about half of the whales attending the birth were not related to the mother. Scientists consider that detail especially important because it suggests social reciprocity, rather than only the drive to pass on shared genes, may help explain the behavior.

Relatively little is known about birth in most wild animals because such events are rarely observed outside captivity, where behavior can change significantly. Many social animals, including lions and chimpanzees, are known to seek isolation when giving birth, making this documented group assistance among sperm whales especially notable.