Whales
Habitat
How long does a whale live?
The length of a whales life is determined by many factors such as its habitat, geography, diet, level of endangerment and species.
Female killer whales (actually part of the dolphin species) that live in the wild for example have been known to live for up to 70 – 80 years, although the average is about 50 years.
And male killer whales can live to be 50 – 60 years old, but usually live until around their 30′s.
In captivity however most killer whales usually don’t live beyond their 20′s.
As you can see a whales environment and social structure can be detrimental in determining its longevity.
The largest living animal in the world, the blue whale, is too large to be held in captivity.
However over the years the blue whale has become very popular amongst whale watchers.
These whales are estimated to live to at least 80 years.
Surprisingly this massive whale is able to survive on a diet primarily consisting of krill (small shrimp like crustaceans), and on some occasions fish and other small sea creatures.
On the opposite end of the spectrum the smallest whale, the dwarf sperm whale, which grows to nearly 9 feet and weighs in at around 550 pounds may only live till around 20 – 25 years.
Below is a list of the average life expectancy of several whale species
- The Beluga whale has an average lifespan of 40 – 60 years
- The Blue whale has an average lifespan of 70 – 90 years
- The Bowhead whale has an average lifespan of 100 – 200 years
- The Fin whale has an average lifespan of 60 – 100 years
- The Gray whale has an average lifespan of 50 - 70 years
- The Humpback whale has an average lifespan of 40 – 100 years
- The Minke whale has an average lifespan of 30 – 50 years
- The Narwhal whale has an average lifespan of 40 – 60 years
- The Sperm whale has an average lifespan of 60 – 80 years
Various scientific studies have calculated life expectancy averages to range anywhere from 50 years (a decent life expectancy amongst healthy non endangered whales) to almost 200 years (on rare occasions).
Unfortunately there is no clear answer to this question in terms of the entire species, but researchers have been able to give us a pretty good idea of how long some species of whales do live.
Scientists and researchers have researched the life expectancy of various species of whales and have estimated that some whales can live longer than humans.
One study concluded that some bowhead whales have been around for 160 -180 years, and at least one living male bowhead whale has been estimated to be nearly 200 years old.
What is taxonomy?
Killer Whales
Kingdom:
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Animalia
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Phylum:
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Chordata
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Class:
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Mammalia
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Order:
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Cetacea
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[Suborder]:
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Odontoceti
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Family:
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Delphinidae
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Genus:
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Orcinus
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Species:
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orca
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What is taxonomy?
Though killer whales, also called orcas, are considered whales by most people, they are actually members of the Delphinidae (dolphin) family. Killer whales are excellent hunters that a wide range of prey, including fish, seals, and big whales such as blue whales. Despite their hunting of other animals, free-ranging killer whales have never been reported killing a human being.
Interesting Facts:
- Killer whales are social animals that live in stable family-related groups. Killer whales display a high level of care for their offspring. In addition to the mothers, various pod members (mainly adolescent females) perform most of the care for the calves. As with most mammals, killer whales are very protective of their young.
- Different killer whale pods "sound" different. Each pod has their own dialect of sounds. They can easily recognize their own pod from several miles away based on the differences in calls.
- Killer whales are often compared to wolves because both species are top predators, maintain complex social relationships, and hunt cooperatively.
- To some, killer whales look exactly alike however they can be distinguished from one another by the shape and size of their dorsal fins, the distinctive grayish-white saddle patches behind their dorsal fins, as well as distinctive scars, nicks and marks on their dorsal fins.
What should I know about killer whales?
- Where do killer whales live?
- How many killer whales are there?
- How can I identify a killer whale?
- How well do killer whales see or hear?
- What do killer whales eat?
- How do killer whales have their young?
- How long do killer whales live? How do they die?
- Where can I find more information about killer whales?
Killer whales can be found in all oceans but they seem to prefer coastal waters and cooler regions. Killer whales occur in family groups called pods. Three types of pods have been described:
- Resident pods: remain stable over time
- Transient pods: dynamic in structure (are constantly changing)
- Offshore pods: Are seen only in outer coast waters and not much else is known of them.
Killer whale pods are based on the lineage of the mother (mothers, daughters, and sons form groups); the whales live and travel with their mothers even after they are full-grown, forming strongly matriarchal whale societies.
There are no official killer whale worldwide population estimates. There are minimum counts in local areas. For example, approximately 1000 whales have been individually identified in Alaskan waters through photographs. Killer whales are at the top of the food chain and are not considered endangered.
You can read more about killer whale stocks in the NMFS Alaska and Atlantic stock assessment reports.
Killer whales are extremely distinctive with jet-black bodies and white patches usually over the eyes, under the jaw, on the belly, and extending onto their sides. Female killer whales can grow up to 26 feet (7.9 meters) with a 3 foot dorsal fin while males are larger than the females growing up to 28 feet (8.5 meters) with a 6 foot (1.3 meters) dorsal fin. Killer whales have 48 to 52 teeth that are large and conical shaped as well as slightly curved back and inward.
Killer whales have well-developed, acute senses. They can hear a vast range of sounds and possess skin that is sensitive to touch. Killer whales have excellent vision in and out of water. It is not known whether or not they may have some sort of sense of taste.
The killer whale diet consists of fish, squid, seals, sea lions, penguins, dolphins, porpoises and large whales like the blue whale. Some killer whales have been known to slide on to beaches in order to capture a good meal. Resident pods (pods that primarily reside in one area) prefer fish whereas transient pods (pods that travel over a relatively wide area) appear to target other marine mammals as prey.
Killer whales are very successful hunters due to their cooperative hunting, where all animals within the pod participate. This coordination is apparently developed and learned within pods.
Killer whales are very successful hunters due to their cooperative hunting, where all animals within the pod participate. This coordination is apparently developed and learned within pods.
Killer whale males reach breeding age when they are around 22 feet (6.7 meters) long while females can breed when they are about 16 feet (4.9 meters) long. Killer whales breed all year around and calves are born about 8 feet (2.4 meters) long after a 17 month gestation period. Female killer whales usually give birth every 3 to 10 years.
Killer whales have no natural predators (they are the top predators of the oceans) and can live to about 50-80 years old. Killer whales have been hunted by humans but not with enthusiasm as it takes 21 killer whales to produce the same amount of oil as 1 sperm whale.
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