A grieving dolphin mother has been seen carrying her dead calf for several days, according to drone footage recorded in Western Australia.
The dolphin, named Fraggle, balanced her calf on her snout in the Leschenault Estuary near Bunbury while other dolphins gathered around her in what researchers described as a “funeral procession.”
Geographe Marine Research captured the footage and shared it on social media. According to the group Fraggle had lost her previous four calves. Her most recent calf died at about two weeks old after showing signs of breathing difficulties in the days leading up to its death.
Science behind grieving dolphin mother and calf bonding
The charity said staff had hoped the calf would survive despite the challenges of a winter birth, but they feared the worst once it began showing signs of respiratory distress.
Nature revealed one of its most heartbreaking moments in an Australian estuary.
A mother dolphin was seen swimming with the body of her three-week-old calf, while the rest of her pod stayed close throughout.
Dolphins are deeply social animals. They recognize themselves in… pic.twitter.com/r16xQEdnqs
— It's Ahmad (@AhmadX_Official) August 1, 2026
Two dolphins that live in the estuary joined Fraggle, along with several others that are typically found in nearby coastal waters. The charity explained that the gathering highlighted the strong social bonds within the group, noting that newborn calves are rarely seen in the estuary and few survive.
Scientists refer to this behavior as “postmortem attentive behavior.” Dolphin mothers often push or lift their dead calves to the surface for days at a time. The behavior can prevent a mother from feeding properly, and she eventually releases the calf.
A 2018 study examining 78 documented cases among whales and dolphins found that dolphins accounted for more than 92 percent of the observations. Researchers suggested the behavior may reflect attempts to revive the calf or an emotional response associated with grief.
Experts confirm dolphin grief is a documented behavior
In Greece, a similar case involving a grieving dolphin mother refusing to leave her calf was reported in May in the Ambracian Gulf. Experts from the University of Thessaly’s Marine Mammal Monitoring Unit said the mother became distressed whenever boats approached and repeatedly pushed her calf away from them. Officials urged the public to keep their distance, warning that human contact could interfere with her mourning and cause additional stress.
According to a spokesperson for the ARION Cetacean Rescue and Rehabilitation Research Center, grief is a well-documented behavior among dolphins, with mothers known to carry their dead calves for days or even weeks. It was added that the sighting in Greece was the first scientifically documented case of its kind in the country’s waters.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
