Attademo et al. report 25 years of parental & epimeletic behavior in captive manatees. Findings reveal complex maternal care, cooperative female caregiving, adoption of orphaned calves, and care toward deceased calves by two females and a male. Link: doi.org/10.1016/j.ap...
#comparativethanatology
All four members of the I4 matriline surrounded by a group of Pacific white-sided dolphins during I76's final moments at the surface. I76 is visible beneath the surface in the bottom left of the frame. Photo: Jared Towers.
Kotik & Towers document the rare, closely witnessed decline and final hours of adult male orca whale , including interactions with Pacific white-sided dolphins, humpbacks, and the attentive presence of his kin.
Access link here: doi.org/10.1111/mms....
#epimeleticbehaviour #comparativethanatology
🚨 The Evothan Collective is now on Bluesky!
Follow for updates on comparative thanatology, discover how animals respond to death and keep up with the newest research in this fascinating field!
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Sun et al. show that mice exhibit reviving-like behaviors toward unconscious or dead conspecifics, escalating from sniffing to licking and tongue-pulling, which can aid recovery and are driven by oxytocin. Open-access paper here: doi.org/10.1126/scie...
#comparativethanatology #epimeleticbehavior
Ricci-Bonot et al. report that horses show grief-like behavioral changes after the death of a conspecific: altered interactions, arousal, and vigilance, persisting for month when bonds were strong or death was witnessed. Paper here: doi.org/10.1016/j.ap...
#comparativethanatology #animalgrief
An unrelated 2-year-old female grooming Pet87’s corpse (14:17, December 6, 1999). She was a probable grooming partner before Pet87’s death, as her mother was one of his confirmed grooming partners
Nakamichi & Yamada observed Japanese macaques’ reactions to dying and dead adult companions.Most avoided individuals with maggots, but others with strong social bonds sometimes remained nearby/groomed the deceased. Open-access paper here: doi.org/10.1007/s103...
#comparativethanatology #socialbonds
8 camera trap stills depicting chimpanzees carrying dead infants in several states of decomposition.
Bersacola et al. used camera traps to document infant corpse carrying (ICC) in multiple unhabituated chimpanzee populations, with carrying durations up to 28 days. Showing camera traps as a great tool for studying rare behaviors: doi.org/10.1002/ece3...
#comparativethanatology #deadinfantcarrying
Aerial shot of 16 beluga whales swimming in close proximity to a dead calf.
Hudson & Watt observed wild beluga whales’ reactions to a dead calf, documenting up to 16 individuals exhibiting approaching and remaining near the carcass. Full article here: doi.org/10.1111/mms....
#comparativethanatology #epimeleticbehavior
4 images depicting a leopard seal stationing around her dead calf on an iceberg.
Sperou et al. document rare postmortem attentive behavior in leopard seals, including a female that cared for her deceased pup for up to 20 days — the longest case recorded in pinnipeds. Full article: doi.org/10.1007/s003...
#comparativethanatology #epimeleticbehavior
Johnson et al. show that bereaved rhesus macaque mothers spent less time resting than non-bereaved controls after their infants’ deaths, contrary to predictions of reduced activity or lethargy. Full open-access study here: doi.org/10.1098/rsbl...
#comparativethanatology #animalgrief
Comparative Thanatology Highlights — 2025 Edition.
See the thread below for this year’s standout publications.
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