Killer whale life cycle

Female killer whales reach maturity at the age of 15, after which they enter a period of estrous cycle and a period of no cycles between 3-16 months. The gestation period is from 15-18 months. To avoid inbreeding, males and females mate from other flocks. The mother who is raising her child, always has only one child, about one in 5 years.

Females breed until about 40 years of age, which means that on average they raise five young. The average life expectancy of the females is about 50 years old, the maximum can be up to 80-90 years old. A female named Granny (J2) is estimated to be around 103 years old.

Males reach sexual maturity at the age of 15, but usually mate at the age of 21. The average lifespan of males is about 29 years, with a maximum of 50-60 years. A male named Old Tom appeared every winter in New South Wales, Australia between the 1840s and the 1930s and was about 90 years old.