ScienceAugust 5, 2026

When Dolphins Carry Their Young: Care, Cost, and Questions

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② Start Lesson

Key Vocabulary

epimeletic/ˌɛpɪˈmɛlɪtɪk/

care or helping given to a sick or dead animal

"The researchers used the word epimeletic to describe the mother's actions."

calf/kælf/

a baby dolphin or whale

"The mother kept the dead calf close to her."

mourn/mɔːrn/

to feel sad after a death

"People can mourn when they see a dying animal."

Listening

When Dolphins Carry Their Young: Care, Cost, and Questions

Some dolphins carry their dead babies in the water. People have filmed mothers holding a dead calf on the surface. The mother often keeps the calf close and may push it to breathe. This behavior has happened in many places around the world. Scientists call this action epimeletic behavior.

Researchers have studied these events and found that females often lead the care. Other dolphins sometimes stay near and help. Experts say this is a form of caring and may be related to mourning, but they do not know exactly what the animals feel. Watching these scenes can feel sad to people.

101 words

Quiz

1. What do dolphins sometimes carry?

2. What word do scientists use for this caregiving action?

3. Who often leads the care for the dead calf?

Reading Practice

Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.

Discussion

Do you feel sad when you see an animal that is hurt or dead? What do you do?

Have you ever seen a wild animal with its young? What did you notice?

What do you think it means when animals stay close to a dead group member?