4. Change of life
As we’ve mentioned, orcas exhibit strong familial bonds, especially among the females. And although it’s uncommon in the animal kingdom, the females go through menopause. Most marine animals do not live beyond childbearing years, but orcas do. Females begin to mature around age 10 and reach their peak fertility around 20-years-old. Similar to humans, they’re fertile roughly until age 40 when their ability to bear young begins to decline rapidly.
As a species, however, they live quite long lives, with female life expectancies topping out around 80 years. Female orcas who have passed their childbearing years, much like grandmas on land, spend their golden years helping tend to their grandbabies.