Fraggle swims in an estuary south of Perth, Australia. She carries the body of her calf, born just two weeks ago. She does not let go. The organization Geographe Marine Research documented her for six full days, pushing that small body to the surface again and again.
This was not her first loss. Fraggle had already lost her three previous calves, and researchers suspect that this time it was pneumonia. Even so, there was hope that this calf would survive the winter.
What moved those who recorded the scene most was seeing other dolphins from the pod come close to keep her company. Experts such as neuroscientist Lori Marino explain that this behavior of carrying dead calves can last days or weeks, and demonstrates emotional bonds that many had not imagined in cetaceans.