Trending Now - Drone Footage Unveils Sperm Whales' Cooperative Calf Care During Birth

WHO:

A 19-year-old female sperm whale named Rounder was the mother giving birth.

The research team included members from Project CETI, which is an international effort to understand whale communication.

Mauricio Cantor, a behavioral ecologist at Oregon State University, commented on the research findings.

David Gruber, a study co-author with Project CETI, described the event as "really a special event."

Shane Gero, also a study co-author with Project CETI, remarked on the cooperation of the whales during the birth.

Alaa Maalouf, a computer scientist at MIT's Project CETI, led the cross-disciplinary team involved in the research.

Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) published the studies.

Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative)

Scientists involved in the studies

WHAT:

The birth lasted 34 minutes, from the emergence of the tail to the calf being born.

The pod's behavior changed rapidly after the birth, with all adults actively supporting the newborn.

The newborn sperm whale was observed to be 4 meters (13 feet) long at birth.

The full delivery of the calf took about 30 minutes.

The researchers created software to analyze the events during the birth.

The whales made different sounds during key moments of the birth, including slower, longer sets of clicks, which may have aided in communication.

The birth process of the calf took 34 minutes, starting at 11:12 am local time on July 8th, 2023.

The group of 11 sperm whales took turns supporting the calf for about an hour after the birth.

Approximately 96 percent of the post-birth support time was covered by a core group of four whales: Rounder, Aurora, Ariel, and Atwood.

The studies provide the first quantitative evidence of cooperative birth assistance among non-primates.

The studies were published in the journals Science and Scientific Reports.

The researchers suggest that the origins of whale midwifery might date back millions of years.

Scientists captured rare footage of a sperm whale giving birth.

The studies published by Project CETI present the most comprehensive documentation of a sperm whale birth ever recorded.

The studies provide the first quantitative evidence of cooperative birth assistance among non-primates.

WHERE:

The footage was captured in the waters off Dominica.

Waters off Dominica

WHEN:

The birth occurred on July 8th, 2023, at 11:12 am local time.

The newborn was spotted again with other young members of the pod on July 25th, 2025.

The studies were published in 2026.

Footage was captured on July 8th, 2023.

Researchers have been studying the lives of sperm whale families for over two decades.

WHY:

The researchers noted that the cooperation observed during the birth is believed to be a key mechanism sustaining complex sociality in sperm whales.

The findings raise questions about how the group of whales formed and how they knew to join together during the birth.

HOW:

The researchers documented the event over nearly five and a half hours, using drones and hydrophones to capture both video and audio.

The researchers used drones and microphones to capture the event and chronicled the sights and sounds in two studies published in Scientific Reports and Science.

Researchers used machine learning and computer vision to identify individual whales and track their movements during the birth.

The studies analyze over six hours of underwater audio and aerial drone footage.

(UPDATED March 27, 2026 19:18 UTC)

On July 8, 2023, at 11:12 AM local time, a 19-year-old female sperm whale named Rounder gave birth to a calf that measured 4 meters, or 13 feet, long at birth, with the entire process lasting 34 minutes. The research team from Project CETI documented this remarkable event using drones and hydrophones, capturing both video and audio over nearly five and a half hours, and noted a rapid change in the pod's behavior as all adults rallied to support the newborn. Researchers believe that the cooperation observed during this birth is crucial for sustaining the complex social structures of sperm whales.

(UPDATED March 27, 2026 07:19 UTC)

Researchers at Oregon State University have made a significant discovery regarding whale behavior during a calf's birth, which took about 30 minutes and involved the whales communicating with distinct sounds. Mauricio Cantor, a behavioral ecologist, noted the importance of these findings, while co-authors David Gruber and Shane Gero highlighted the special nature of the event and the cooperation among the whales. Using drones and microphones, the team documented the birth and analyzed the sounds produced, raising intriguing questions about how these whales formed their group and coordinated during this critical moment.

(UPDATED March 27, 2026 01:23 UTC)

A team led by Alaa Maalouf, a computer scientist at MIT's Project CETI, has made significant strides in understanding whale behavior during the birth of a calf. The birth process lasted 34 minutes, beginning at 11:12 AM local time on July 8, 2023, and a group of 11 sperm whales provided support for the calf, with four whales—Rounder, Aurora, Ariel, and Atwood—covering about 96 percent of that time. Researchers utilized machine learning and computer vision to identify individual whales and monitor their movements throughout this remarkable event.

(UPDATED March 26, 2026 23:10 UTC)

Project CETI has published groundbreaking studies that provide the first quantitative evidence of cooperative birth assistance among non-primates. The research, which was released on March 26, 2026, analyzes over six hours of underwater audio and aerial drone footage captured in the waters off Dominica. This significant development sheds light on the complex behaviors of marine life during critical moments of birth.

(UPDATED March 26, 2026 21:09 UTC)

New studies published in the journals Science and Scientific Reports suggest that the origins of whale midwifery might date back millions of years. Researchers have been exploring this fascinating aspect of whale behavior, shedding light on the social structures of these majestic creatures. The findings could change our understanding of how whales care for their young in the wild.

(UPDATED March 26, 2026 19:24 UTC)

Scientists from Project CETI have made a groundbreaking discovery by capturing rare footage of a sperm whale giving birth in the waters off Dominica. Their studies, which analyze over six hours of underwater audio and aerial drone footage, present the most comprehensive documentation of a sperm whale birth ever recorded and provide the first quantitative evidence of cooperative birth assistance among non-primates. This remarkable footage was captured on July 8, 2023, as researchers have been studying the lives of sperm whale families for over two decades.