Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Our podcast guest, whale biologist Dr. Shane Gero, witnessed a rare event and captured it on camera: a sperm whale birth.
And the whale mother wasn’t alone, her entire family unit was there. Off the coast of Dominica, the whales took turns holding the newborn calf above the water for hours and fending off nearby pilot whales and dolphins.
Researchers also saw changes in the whales’ clicks before and after the birth, and spotted a lone young male, who was recently pushed out of the family unit, still lingering nearby.
This new study is the most detailed account of a cetacean birth in the wild and it gives us insight into sperm whale behavior and culture.
Dr. Gero breaks down the study and talks about watching the birth on our podcast. Listen now on our YouTube channel.
Video credit: Project CETI
Aluma, Y., Baron, Z., Barrett, R. et al. Description of a collaborative sperm whale birth and shifts in coda vocal styles during key events. Sci Rep 16, 9206 (2026). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-27438-3
Our podcast guest, whale biologist Dr. Shane Gero, witnessed a rare event and captured it on camera: a sperm whale birth.
And the whale mother wasn’t alone, her entire family unit was there. Off the coast of Dominica, the whales took turns holding the newborn calf above the water for hours and fending off nearby pilot whales and dolphins.
Researchers also saw changes in the whales’ clicks before and after the birth, and spotted a lone young male, who was recently pushed out of the family unit, still lingering nearby.
This new study is the most detailed account of a cetacean birth in the wild and it gives us insight into sperm whale behavior and culture.
Dr. Gero breaks down the study and talks about watching the birth on our podcast. Listen now on our YouTube channel.
Video credit: Project CETI
Aluma, Y., Baron, Z., Barrett, R. et al. Description of a collaborative sperm whale birth and shifts in coda vocal styles during key events. Sci Rep 16, 9206 (2026). doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-27438-3
