Male killer whales benefit GREATLY from their mother's longevity.

[Flaxbee]

This is actually quite fascinating -- killer whales are among a very small number of mammal species that have evolved extended menopause lifespans; apparently the longer a female lives, the better off her sons will be. Her longevity makes a much smaller difference in the lives of her daughters.

From the article:
VANCOUVER - Like some of their human counterparts, killer whale mothers continue to dote on their sons well into adulthood, says a new study based on two pods of resident killer whales off the coast of British Columbia.

That coddling appears to help the male orcas to mate and reproduce.

The study released Thursday by the University of Exeter, in the United Kingdom, looked at more than three decades of research by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in B.C. and the Center for Whale Research in Washington state, and found that orca females live many years after they are no longer capable of reproducing.

"This long period of post-reproduction is not very common in mammals, outside of humans," said Dr. John Ford, a research scientist at federal fisheries' Pacific Biological Station.

http://www.globalsaskatoon.com/canada/orca+grannies+coddle+their+offspring+well+into+adulthood+study/6442714500/story.html

[dimbear]

1. I propose we reclassify them as shetaceans. n/t

[HopeHoops]

2. They've always fascinated me. Despite actually being dolphins, they feud with regular dolphins.

The "flipper" dolphins will attack orcas by, well, headbutting them. Orca's will go after the babies of migrating larger whales and others of the target species have been observed coming to the defense of the mother and child. The orcas usually win in the long run because of their agility and pack hunting.

That said, the article sort of implies that orcas are "helicopter moms".

[Baitball Blogger]

3. I can just see that.

Give me some grandkids you useless drone!