Midwives in the pod

Lady Oracle and her calf, Aurora. Researchers filmed a sperm whale giving birth in the wild — the event added to evidence that humans aren’t the only species that gets some form of assistance during and after delivery. — Brian J. Skerry/National Geographic via The New York Times

AT first, the researchers on the boats didn’t understand what they were witnessing in the waves below.

A group of 11 sperm whales huddled together at the surface, strangely still and taking occasional shallow dives. After about an hour, the animals seemed to start thrashing and a plume of blood reddened the water.