Two of the oldest known orcas — a mother and son — spotted off California. See them
.jpg "While Glacier and his mom are considered elders in the orca community, they are far from the oldest killer whales experts have seen.")
Whale watchers off the coast of California recently caught a glimpse of a famous mother-and-son orca duo, both known for their advanced ages.
The 57-year-old bull is “one of the oldest males in our population,” according to Monterey Bay Whale Watch. His mother is much older, estimated to be at least 67.
The average lifespan of male killer whales is 30, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but they can live to be around 60. Females usually live to about 50, but some in the wild live to be 90 or older.
The male, called Glacier, earned his moniker from where he was first spotted: off the coast of Alaska.
While Glacier and his mother are among the orca population’s elders, they are not the oldest orcas experts have seen.
Granny, the still uncontested matriarch of killer whales, was estimated to be 105 years old before dying in 2017.
Currently, the oldest living known orca is estimated to be around 100, according to The Seattle Times
Orcas, or killer whales as they are often called, are highly social ocean predators that live and travel in groups, according to the NOAA. They live matrilineally, with offspring staying with their mothers for life.
“Killer whales rely on underwater sound to feed, communicate, and navigate,” NOAA says. “Pod members communicate with each other through clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls.”
Elderly orcas, and especially elderly females, take on a leadership role in their pods, Michael Weiss, research director at the Center for Whale Research, told the Seattle Times. With decades of knowledge of the sea, these matriarchs serve their pod as both a compass and a “living environmental archive.”
“What these older females contribute is when we look at who is at the front of the group, who is leading it around, it is these old females,” Weiss told the outlet.
This story was originally published September 23, 2024 at 11:55 AM with the headline "Two of the oldest known orcas — a mother and son — spotted off California. See them."