The female dolphin was spotted carrying the calf through an estuary in Western Australia after the two-week-old died. Experts say such behaviour highlights the strong social bonds within dolphin groups. Scientists describe this as postmortem attentive behaviour, a term used when dolphins or whales continue caring for a dead companion. Scientists have documented similar behaviour in whales, dolphins and several primate species. They say mothers sometimes continue carrying their dead young for days, even though doing so makes feeding and survival more difficult.