A female dolphin named Fraggle carried her dead newborn calf for about six days after its death [1].
The event highlights the complex emotional lives of marine mammals and the capacity for grief in non-human species. Observers said the mother's persistence in refusing to leave the calf reflected a profound maternal bond.
Fraggle was filmed in a local estuary and through the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia [1], [2]. The calf was approximately two weeks old when it died [1].
This was not the first time the dolphin experienced such a loss. Fraggle had previously lost four calves [2]. The behavior of carrying the deceased calf for nearly a week suggests a prolonged period of mourning, a phenomenon observed in several highly intelligent cetacean species.
While the exact cause of the calf's death was not specified, the footage of Fraggle's journey captured the attention of researchers and the public. The dolphin continued to support the body of the newborn, preventing it from sinking, for the duration of the six-day period [1].
“Fraggle carried her dead newborn calf for about six days after its death.”
This behavior provides a visible example of grief in dolphins, supporting scientific theories that highly social marine mammals experience emotional trauma and mourning. The fact that Fraggle had lost four previous calves may suggest a pattern of reproductive struggle or a heightened emotional response to the loss of this specific offspring.
