Scientists told about the help of sperm whales to each other during childbirth

Marine biologists studying the social behavior of whales reported that a female sperm whale who gave birth in the Caribbean Sea received support from other individuals. This was reported by Science magazine on March 26.

"The group quickly switched to a cohesive and very active behavior; individuals took turns lifting the newborn, physically supporting him and pushing him to the surface, which corresponded to the maintenance of a newborn with negative buoyancy. This stage lasted about an hour, during which the entire group remained tightly grouped," the publication says.

According to scientists, during the birth of the cub, several adult females surrounded the mother and after giving birth, they jointly lifted the newborn to the surface so that he could take his first breath.

It is specified that childbirth is a critically dangerous episode for sperm whales, since newborns remain motionless in the first minutes of life and are completely dependent on adult help. Without support, they are unable to reach the surface of the water on their own and may die.

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On November 12, 2025, Popular Science magazine reported that scientists from Project CETI and the University of California at Berkeley had identified new structural elements of vocalizations in sperm whales, similar to human vowel sounds and diphthongs.

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