A deeply moving wildlife event is currently unfolding in Greece’s Ambracian Gulf as a female bottlenose dolphin has been observed exhibiting behavior signaling an intensely protective stance and grief as she refuses to leave the side of her deceased calf.
Local maritime professionals and experts from the University of Thessaly’s Marine Mammal Monitoring Unit, including Giannis Giovanos of Amvrakikos Cruises, report that the mother becomes visibly distressed by human presence. She has been seen repeatedly attempting to nudge her calf away from approaching vessels.
Citizens, fishers, and recreational boaters are strictly requested not to approach the dolphin and to maintain a significantly safe distance. Human interference can:
- Interrupt the natural grieving process
- Result in extreme physiological stress to the mother
- Lead to unpredictable or defensive behavior
Dolphin mirrors human grieving
For highly intelligent, long-lived, and social mammals such as the bottlenose dolphin, the loss of a pod member—and especially a calf—triggers physiological and behavioral responses that mirror human mourning.
“Grief in cetaceans is a documented and complex social behavior,” says a spokesperson from the ARION Cetacean Rescue and Rehabilitation Research Center. “Mothers have been known to carry their deceased young for days or even weeks. This is likely the first scientifically documented case of such grieving behavior in Greek waters.”
During this time, the mother often neglects her own needs, such as foraging or maintaining her position with the rest of the pod, showing that the emotional drive to “protect” the remains overrides her survival instincts. Respecting the animal’s privacy is not only a matter of public safety but an act of empathy and essential wildlife protection.
Related: Rare Risso’s Dolphin Spotted in Greece’s Aegean Sea During Research Mission