Menopause in Orcas

Southern resident orcas spy hopping. Katie Jones, Center for Whale Research.

Female orcas may live up to 90 years in the wild, 22 of those years after ceasing reproduction. Previous studies show that adult offspring, especially males, benefit from having a post-menopause mom around. Older orca mothers act as repositories of ecological knowledge, such as when and where to find food, and directly share more than half the fish they catch with their adult kids.

A new study reveals an additional pathway by which menopause is adaptive in orcas: Researchers found that post-menopause mothers also provide social support to their sons by protecting them from being injured by other orcas.

Read more at my Animal Minds blog: Post-Menopause Orca Moms Protect Their Sons.