In July 2023, whale biologist Shane Gero witnessed a rare event off the coast of Dominica: the birth of a sperm whale calf. Initially, Gero thought the calm behavior of the sperm whales, known as “Unit A,” indicated an attack by nearby pilot whales. However, it turned out to be a birth, with the group assisting the newborn to the surface. Using machine learning to analyze footage, Gero’s team discovered that two female-led groups cooperated during the birth, a behavior not previously documented in such detail. This finding could enhance understanding of sperm whale communication and behavior during birth. The research was published in the journal Science.
QUESTION: How might understanding the cooperative behavior of sperm whales during birth influence our approach to studying other animal species?
Sperm whales help one another give birth, new study finds
