First Account of Nurturant Behaviour Towards the Dead in Bryde’s Whale from Indian Waters

Understanding nurturant behavior in cetaceans is crucial, yet challenging due to sporadic documentation of such behaviors in the wild. In our study, we observed a unique instance of nurturant behavior displayed by a group of Bryde’s whales towards a deceased adult pod member of the same species over several days, supported by photographic evidence. The mourning behaviors observed, including repeated surfacing, swimming around the carcass, and frequent spouting, indicating a profound disturbance and curiosity regarding the deceased pod member. This study marks the first documented instance of nurturant behavior in baleen whales, contributing significantly to our understanding of cetacean behavior towards the dead.