India, Sept. 28 -- Near the coast of Dominica in the Caribbean, researchers documented a rare sperm whale birth in the open ocean, with members of the whale's social group gathered around the mother and newborn. The observations suggest that the calf received assistance from other whales immediately after birth, as they repeatedly supported and pushed it toward the surface. The study in the journal Scientific Reports is the first to provide detailed video, audio, photographic, and behavioral documentation of a wild sperm whale birth, combining aerial drone video, underwater audio, shipboard photography, and behavioral observations collected during the event. The researchers also drew on the group's long-term history as a well-studied soci...