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Bottlenose Dolphin Adopts Pilot Whale Calf.
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A Bottlenose Dolphin female has been spotted nurturing a Pilot Whale calf. This dolphin has associated with Pilot Whales in a mixed species group before. Bottlenose Dolphins have been observed nurturing calves of other marine mammals before.  This Dolphin female seems to have taken over as surrogate mother for now. It is hoped that she can be observed long enough to see how this works out. The Whale will eventually join a pod of its own species.

The question being asked is why would a dolphin female raise another female's calf, especially one of another species.

https://people.com/pets/bottlenose-dolph...w-zealand/

I wonder how common adoption by another species is  in marine mammals and any other species. I know it doesn't seem to make sense to raise another female's offspring, but many female's do it. Maybe nature has provided a certain number of females of any species who would be willing to raise the baby of any species.
It makes sense to me, because the (now adult) children in my life are actually not mine. I am still as fierce as a mama bear if they need my help. I once felt maternal feelings for a baby tarantula I rescued. Maybe there are dolphin females who would not leave any baby uncared for, even one that is going to be very different from her. It makes the world seem like a much nicer place knowing that maternal love overcomes all differences.
[Image: IMG_9091.JPG]
Catherine

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