The Vigo estuary was filled with pain and sadness this weekend after the sighting of a mother dolphin swimming with her dead calf.
The moving scene, captured on video by José Alonso Sánchez, shows the female pushing the small cetacean with her nose, in what appears to be a desperate attempt at impossible resuscitation. Dolphins, like many other animals, experience deep grief when they lose a newborn.
From CEMMA (Coordinator for the Study of Marine Mammals), they explain that the pain felt by the mother dolphin is so intense that this mourning can last for days and even weeks, until the corpse of the calf decomposes completely and she abandons it. Alfredo López, a biologist from this Galician environmental NGO, recounts that they tried to take the dead cub from the mother, but she did not allow it: “The male that accompanied her gave it to us but she constantly picked it up again. There was no way, so we left it so as not to bother her anymore,” he explains.
However, the grieving process cannot be rushed. The mother dolphin needs to go through her own process of accepting and saying goodbye to her, without interference. The biologist warns that if she tries to force herself to detach too soon, she might fight to get her calf back thinking there are still chances. On the other hand, if it goes on too long, there is a risk that the mother will end up stranded next to the lifeless body of the baby dolphin and endanger her own life.
Close monitoring of the mother dolphin has become essential in this situation. The CEMMA asks the sailors of the Vigo estuary to respect this delicate moment and not to approach the mother and her calf. Disturbing animals in these difficult circumstances could lead to increased stress and put their well-being at risk.
In addition, they call on the community to notify the authorities by calling 112 or by calling 686989008 if they see the mother dolphin, so that she can be monitored and assisted if necessary.
