Rare sight of mother dolphin mourning calf captured on camera

Screen grab of the viral video showing the mother dolphin pushing the dead calf

A resident of Talashil near Sindhudurg in the Konkan region has recorded post-mortem attentive behaviour (PAB) in an Indian Ocean humpback dolphin. The video shows a mother dolphin pushing her dead calf, seemingly mistaking it for being alive. This behaviour had previously been documented by marine researcher Mihir Sule and others, who also published a scientific paper on the phenomenon.

Marine researcher Mihir Sule said, "A tourist recently recorded this post-mortem attentive behaviour in an Indian Ocean humpback dolphin near Sindhudurg. Such behaviour is common among intelligent animals, including chimpanzees, elephants and wolves, especially in tight-knit groups. While the exact reasons are unknown, scientists believe an evolutionary mechanism could be behind it."

A scientific paper on PAB in Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) was published by researchers Ketki Jog, Mihir Sule, Himanshu Damle, Isha Bopardikar, and Dipani Sutaria. The study documented two instances of PAB along the Sindhudurg coast in Maharashtra, India, from 2020 to 2022.

The paper describes the observed behaviour: "In both cases, an adult ‘post-mortem attender' was seen supporting and moving around a dead calf erratically. In one instance, a second adult escorted the mother-calf pair. An examination of the first calf's carcass revealed blunt force trauma under its right flipper. These findings suggest that group members may experience distress due to the injury or death of an offspring."

The study also highlights the evolutionary significance of PAB in social mammals and emphasises the importance of long-term behavioural studies to understand such phenomena. Humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) are known to inhabit shallow waters less than 20-25 metres deep along Maharashtra's coastline in the Arabian Sea. They often enter larger estuaries during high tide and are frequently sighted by fishermen from their boats and the shore. The dolphins' regional common names vary across the coastline.

Where to sight dolphins around city

Recently, a fisherman from Navi Mumbai posted a video on his Instagram account featuring Indian Ocean humpback dolphins spotted along the east coast of Mumbai. In his post, the fisherman mentioned that he saw the dolphins in the Navi Mumbai creek, near the Atal Setu Bridge.

Marine researchers working on the conservation of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins said that sightings of these marine creatures are common along the entire Maharashtra coastline. Locations in Mumbai and nearby areas where these dolphins can be spotted include Malabar Hill, Worli, Juhu, Versova, Madh Island, Gorai, Virar, Palghar, Uran, near Elephanta Island, Alibag and Murud-Janjira.

According to researchers, Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) exhibit a contiguous distribution across Maharashtra's coastal waters in the Arabian Sea. They inhabit waters less than 20-25 metres deep and frequently enter larger estuaries during high tide. Due to their shallow-water habitat, these dolphins are often seen by fishermen from their boats and shores.