Marine scientists have achieved a remarkable breakthrough by documenting one of nature's rarest events: a sperm whale birth where multiple females collaborated to assist the mother and protect her newborn calf.
The extraordinary observation occurred on July 8, 2023, when researchers from Project CETI encountered a pod of 11 sperm whales near the Caribbean island of Dominica. The team spent nearly five and a half hours documenting the birth of a calf to Rounder, a 19-year-old female giving birth to her second offspring.
What made this event scientifically unprecedented was the active participation of other female whales, including those unrelated to the mother, in supporting both the birthing process and caring for the newborn. This collaborative behavior represents the first documented evidence of birth assistance among non-primate species.
This is the first evidence of birth assistance in non-primates. It is fascinating to see the intergenerational support from the grandmother to her labouring daughter, and the support from the other, unrelated females.
Shane Gero, Project CETI team member — New Scientist
The birth itself lasted 34 minutes, during which other adult females positioned themselves strategically around Rounder. They dove beneath her dorsal fin, often swimming on their backs with their heads oriented toward her genital area, providing physical support throughout the labor process.
The Guardian presents this as a significant scientific breakthrough, emphasizing the rarity of the observation and its importance for understanding cetacean behavior. The coverage focuses on the collaborative aspects and evolutionary significance of the documented birth assistance.