Susan Parks, professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, was quoted in an Associated Press article examining newly published research on sperm whale births, one of the rarest events documented in the wild.

The research focused on video footage captured in 2023 near the Caribbean island of Dominica, revealing female sperm whales from different family groups working together during a birth. Video and acoustic recordings show the whales coordinating their movements, assisting the mother during labor, and repeatedly lifting the newborn calf above the water to help it breathe.

Scientists say this level of cooperation is extremely uncommon in the animal kingdom, especially outside of humans and other primates. Researchers documented the event using drones and underwater microphones and later analyzed the footage and sounds using specialized software.

The observations were detailed in two studies published in Scientific Reports and Science, offering insight into how sperm whales socialize and communicate during their most vulnerable moments.

Parks, an expert in whale communication and bioacoustics, emphasized the significance of the findings for understanding whale societies and acoustic behavior.

“I think it’s just exciting to think about the social lives of these animals,” Parks said in the article.

Parks’ comments also appeared on the following media websites:

• ABC News
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
• EuroNews