Scientists Film Rare Whale Birth, Discover Helping Behavior
Researchers captured the rarest of ocean moments: a sperm whale giving birth while her pod rallied around to help. The footage reveals whales cooperate during births just like primates do.
Search
Find uplifting stories about heroes, innovations, and solutions
2575 results for "whale behavior"
Cameras on Whale Sharks Reveal 6 New Feeding Behaviors
Scientists strapped cameras to whale sharks for the first time and discovered the ocean's biggest fish spend most of their time feeding underwater using techniques never seen before. The footage revealed six completely new feeding behaviors and solved a mystery about how these giants survive in nutrient-poor waters.
Antarctic Whales Rebound to Pre-Whaling Numbers
Humpback whales have nearly returned to pre-whaling levels in Antarctica, with researchers spotting groups of over 100 whales feeding together daily. Scientists and fishing companies are now collaborating on a voluntary buffer zone to protect their food supply from industrial krill trawlers.
Sperm Whales Caught Headbutting on Camera for First Time
Scientists finally captured video proof of sperm whales headbutting each other, confirming legends told by 19th-century sailors. The surprising footage reveals younger whales, not adults, engage in this powerful behavior.
Scientists Film Rare Sperm Whale Birth Off Dominica Coast
For the first time ever, researchers captured footage of sperm whales helping another whale give birth, a behavior previously seen only in primates. The groundbreaking 2023 footage from Dominica reveals these ocean giants have more in common with humans than we thought.
Whales Teaching Whales: How Culture Saves a Species
Humpback whales are passing along an advanced fishing technique across the Pacific, proving that saving animals isn't just about numbers. Scientists now say protecting what whales know may be just as important as protecting the whales themselves.
Scientists Film Sperm Whale Birth Off Dominica Coast
For the first time ever, researchers captured sperm whales helping a mother give birth and supporting her newborn calf in a remarkable display of cooperation. The discovery reveals behavior dating back 36 million years that only whales and primates share.
Scientists Film Sperm Whales Headbutting for First Time
After centuries of sailors' stories about whales ramming each other, scientists finally caught the behavior on camera using drones. The footage reveals playful young male sperm whales bumping heads, possibly as a way to learn and grow before leaving their family groups.
Scientists Film Whale Birth With Surprising Community Care
Researchers captured the first detailed footage of a sperm whale birth and discovered something remarkable: 11 whales worked together to help deliver and support the newborn, including half who weren't even related to the mother. This rare glimpse into whale society suggests humans aren't the only species where mothers receive help during childbirth.
Global Whaling Ban Saves Great Whales from Extinction
The global ban on commercial whaling just hit its 40th anniversary, and it's credited with saving Earth's largest creatures from disappearing forever. What started as a "whaler's club" of 14 nations has grown into a worldwide conservation force of 88 countries protecting whales and dolphins.
Humpback Whales Keep Their Mouths Open for Unknown Reasons
Scientists discovered humpback whales sometimes leave their mouths hanging wide open when they're not eating, and nobody knows why. Researchers used social media videos to study this mysterious "gaping" behavior, opening new doors for citizen science.
Blue Whales' Songs Hide Them From Killer Whales
Blue whales sing at frequencies so low that killer whales can't hear them beyond a kilometer, effectively making the ocean's loudest animal acoustically invisible to its only predator. This discovery reveals how nature's largest creatures use sound as a survival tool.
Humpback Whales Rescue Seals and Other Species From Orcas
Humpback whales are deliberately interrupting killer whale hunts to save seals, sea lions, and even other whale species they've never met. Scientists documented 115 cases over 62 years of humpbacks charging into orca attacks, often traveling miles to protect complete strangers.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F64%2Fe9%2F64e9d2c9-a5c7-46ea-af2e-cc76b0bee3ff%2Funknown.jpeg)
Scientists Detect Silent Whales Using Internet Cables
Researchers in Norway discovered they can track blue whales deep underwater using the same fiber-optic cables that deliver your internet. The breakthrough reveals whale behavior that scientists have never been able to study before.
Sperm Whales Blow Bubbles to Float While Resting Upright
Scientists have finally proven how sperm whales stay perfectly still while resting vertically in the ocean. The secret? Controlled bubble breathing that keeps them from bobbing to the surface.
Older Humpback Whales Now Win Breeding Battle After Recovery
As humpback whale populations bounce back from near extinction, older males are increasingly fathering more calves than their younger rivals. Scientists say decades of experience in singing and competing give mature whales a surprising reproductive advantage.
Whale Mom Tenderly Cared for Stillborn Calf Off Australia
A humpback whale mother was observed touching and staying with her stillborn calf for hours off Queensland's coast, offering scientists a rare glimpse into how these intelligent creatures respond to death. The footage marks the first documented stillbirth in humpback whales.
Whales Help Unrelated Mother Give Birth in Ocean First
Scientists captured the first known footage of sperm whales helping a mother give birth, including whales who weren't even family. For six hours, the pod worked together to keep the newborn calf breathing at the surface.
Dolphins Guide Lost Whale Back to Ocean After 2 Weeks
A juvenile southern right whale stranded in shallow waters for more than two weeks found its way home with help from an unexpected rescue team. A pod of dolphins led the endangered whale through treacherous sandbars back to the open ocean.
Scientists Solve Mystery Behind Whale Stranding in Scotland
Researchers discovered that 55 pilot whales beached themselves on Scotland's Isle of Lewis because they were protecting a pod member in distress. The tragedy reveals the remarkable loyalty of one of the ocean's most social species.
Showing 20 of 2575