Whale calf being cared for by adult dolphin in rare ocean occurrence

The bond between this dolphin and whale calf is going swimmingly.

A bottlenose dolphin appears to be serving as the adoptive mother of a newborn pilot whale off the coast of New Zealand, according to the Far Out Ocean Research Collective.

The organization shared images showing what appears to be the same adult dolphin and young whale duo together on March 6 and again on April 12.

In a recent Facebook post, the collective wrote that “bottlenose dolphins are known to acquire calves of other species although the reasons for this behaviour remain poorly understood.”

“The individual is a well known member of the north-eastern New Zealand offshore bottlenose dolphin population and regularly associates with pilot and false killer whales,” the post continued. “We are hoping to re-encounter her to monitor this interesting phenomenon.”

In a different Facebook post last month, the collective said bottlenose dolphins “occasionally” adopt calves from other species.

Bottlenose dolphins have a life expectancy of about 40 years. Mothers typically remain with their calves until they are three to six years old, according to Sea World.

Pilot whales, meanwhile, live in groups and often stay with their mothers even as they become adults, according to the International Whaling Commission.