Biology professor Juan Gonçalvo from the Tethys Research Institute (Italy) has been observing bottlenose dolphins in Amvrakikos Bay since 2006. In July 2007, he and his colleagues from the organization "Earth Patrol" drew attention to the mother next to the dead newborn
She lifted the corpse off the surface in an obvious attempt to make it breathe. “It was repeated over and over again, with varying degrees of despair, over the course of two days,” recalls Gonçalvo. “All this time, his mother did not part with him.” Scientists have heard her make sounds, touching the calf with her snout and pectoral fins. It seemed that she could not believe in his death, which came so suddenly.
A year later, Gonsalvo accidentally discovered a herd surrounding a two-month-old dolphin that was still unable to swim. His body bore stains, likely the result of heavy metal contamination of the water. The adults tried to help him stay afloat, but he continued to sink and died about an hour later.
The scientist expected his mother to stay by his side, but she left the corpse with the others. "The situation looked as if the dolphins understood that death was inevitable, they were ready for it," Gonsalvo said. However, he and his colleagues admit these findings are speculative and based on a small set of data. Scientists are aware of the dangers of endowing animals with human emotions.
The interpretation of such behavior is indeed fraught with such difficulties. After all, any of us noticed that sometimes even begins to talk with animals, as with an equal. Therefore, biologist Gonsalvo has not yet dared to publish his observations.
Nevertheless, it has been established that gorillas, chimpanzees and elephants behave as if they were observing mourning. It is likely that dolphins will join this series, especially in connection with the discovery of specialized neurons in them, which are responsible for empathy and intuition.
For example, Dr. Ingrid Visser of the Killer Whale Research Foundation (New Zealand) also believes that dolphins and killer whales treat dead babies as if they are being eaten by grief.
“I believe that animals may not even know that the cub is dead,” she explains. “However, we know that cetaceans have fusiform neurons, which, at least in humans, are associated with feelings of grief.
