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Cooperation by non-kin during birth underpins sperm whale social complexity.

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Title: Cooperation by non-kin during birth underpins sperm whale social complexity.
Authors: Maalouf, Alaa (AUTHOR), DelPreto, Joseph (AUTHOR), Lucas, Maxime (AUTHOR), Poetto, Simone (AUTHOR), Andreas, Jacob (AUTHOR), Torralba, Antonio (AUTHOR), Gero, Shane (AUTHOR), Petri, Giovanni (AUTHOR), Rus, Daniela (AUTHOR), Gruber, David F. (AUTHOR)
Source: Science. 3/26/2026, Vol. 391 Issue 6792, p1355-1360. 6p.
Subjects: Sperm whale, Cooperativeness, Social structure, Intrapartum care, Drone photography, Communication network analysis, Marine biology, Animal behavior
Geographic Terms: Caribbean
Abstract: We quantitatively document a sperm whale birth event, revealing collective support behaviors across kinship lines. Using high-resolution drone footage, computer vision, and multiscale network analysis, we studied the interactions within a Caribbean sperm whale unit comprising two matrilines. Our results suggest that a female family member led birth assistance and that after delivery, all individuals oriented toward and helped lift the newborn, taking turns in a coordinated, cross-kin effort. Despite historically observed foraging segregation, kinship barriers dissolved as all unit members contributed. These analyses provide evidence of birth attendance, or assistance, in a nonprimate species, a behavior long considered characteristic only of humans and their close relatives. Editor's summary: Whales have high levels of cognition and complex social lives, but studying this massive marine species has been challenging. Maalouf et al. used high-density drone imaging and advanced network analyses to reveal the dynamics of a sperm whale birth in the Caribbean. They found that other females assisted the mother, including those that were in different kin and social groups and were only distantly related to her. Such assisted births have thus far only been seen in primates. This observation confirms the suspected social complexity of whales and suggests that modern observational tools are likely to continue to reveal the secrets of other species that are difficult to study. —Sacha Vignieri [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Cooperation by non-kin during birth underpins sperm whale social complexity.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maalouf%2C+Alaa%22">Maalouf, Alaa</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22DelPreto%2C+Joseph%22">DelPreto, Joseph</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lucas%2C+Maxime%22">Lucas, Maxime</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Poetto%2C+Simone%22">Poetto, Simone</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andreas%2C+Jacob%22">Andreas, Jacob</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Torralba%2C+Antonio%22">Torralba, Antonio</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gero%2C+Shane%22">Gero, Shane</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Petri%2C+Giovanni%22">Petri, Giovanni</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rus%2C+Daniela%22">Rus, Daniela</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gruber%2C+David+F%2E%22">Gruber, David F.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sperm+whale%22">Sperm whale</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cooperativeness%22">Cooperativeness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+structure%22">Social structure</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intrapartum+care%22">Intrapartum care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drone+photography%22">Drone photography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+network+analysis%22">Communication network analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marine+biology%22">Marine biology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Animal+behavior%22">Animal behavior</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caribbean%22">Caribbean</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: We quantitatively document a sperm whale birth event, revealing collective support behaviors across kinship lines. Using high-resolution drone footage, computer vision, and multiscale network analysis, we studied the interactions within a Caribbean sperm whale unit comprising two matrilines. Our results suggest that a female family member led birth assistance and that after delivery, all individuals oriented toward and helped lift the newborn, taking turns in a coordinated, cross-kin effort. Despite historically observed foraging segregation, kinship barriers dissolved as all unit members contributed. These analyses provide evidence of birth attendance, or assistance, in a nonprimate species, a behavior long considered characteristic only of humans and their close relatives. Editor's summary: Whales have high levels of cognition and complex social lives, but studying this massive marine species has been challenging. Maalouf et al. used high-density drone imaging and advanced network analyses to reveal the dynamics of a sperm whale birth in the Caribbean. They found that other females assisted the mother, including those that were in different kin and social groups and were only distantly related to her. Such assisted births have thus far only been seen in primates. This observation confirms the suspected social complexity of whales and suggests that modern observational tools are likely to continue to reveal the secrets of other species that are difficult to study. —Sacha Vignieri [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=192562567
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        Value: 10.1126/science.ady9280
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        Text: English
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        Type: general
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      – SubjectFull: Social structure
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      – SubjectFull: Drone photography
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      – SubjectFull: Caribbean
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      – TitleFull: Cooperation by non-kin during birth underpins sperm whale social complexity.
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              Text: 3/26/2026
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