The familial bonds of certain species within the animal kingdom are often as strong, complex and as powerful as those between humans. Especially among mammals like elephants, wolves and chimpanzees who possess a greater level of intelligence, and thus emotional intelligence.
The similarities we see between ourselves and the natural world is the repetition of biological processes, usually those which improve our health, wellbeing and our chance of survival. And it isn’t anthropomorphic to recognise these similarities but rather a fascination with the connection we see and share.
Especially, when one particular animal with seemingly endless emotional intelligence, has developed bonds and behavioural habits that are quite deeply aligned with how early human societies lived and survived together.
I am, of course, talking about Orca.
Each resident Orca pod is a well-ordered matriarchy. With an older female at the helm, followed closely by her offspring and her daughter’s offspring. While males may wander further away from the family, in order to mate with a female from another pod within the community, they will always venture back. Staying with their mothers their entire lives, male Orca are one of very few marine mammals to do this.
As is often the case within such a tight knit group, there are the doers and the don’ters, and so within an Orca matriarchy comes the overindulged sons1. Truthfully, it’s unfair to make these jokes as there is likely more to this mollycoddling than first meets the eye. Orca are, after all, one of the most intelligent species on the planet.
It’s well-documented that Orca mothers and sons ‘hang out’ well beyond the weaning or juvenile stages of a male's life. They’re often seen floating at the surface with one another, rubbing together, and swimming in tandem. And though it may seem contradictory that such an intelligent animal won’t leave its mothers side even in adulthood2, there is a case to be made that whatever it ‘costs’ the mother’s to extend this care, that is outweighed by the benefits that come with supporting and protecting her son.
By staying with their mothers, male Orca might have their meals caught for them, while adult females hunt independently as they usually stop taking food from their mothers around the age of 12. If this were a mockumentary, now is around the time I’d be breaking the fourth wall and staring deadpan down the camera lens…
Joking aside, this codependence is quite serious. New research from York and Exeter University, as well as the Center for Whale Research in Washington, suggests mothers really do go above and beyond for their sons.
From photographic evidence of tooth rake marks obtained during rough play or fighting, scientists found that sons were 35% less likely to carry these marks if their mothers were still in the pod and had stopped reproducing. Compared to the daughters who had fewer tooth rake marks overall, regardless of whether or not their mother was around3.
Quite astonishingly, a son's reliance on his mother for security and sustenance is a matter of life or death. Whale researcher, Charli Grimes, said: “If you’re a male and your post-reproductive mother dies, your mortality skyrockets in the years after that.”
So how is it that Orca mothers are able to commit to the wellbeing of their sons so fully? Well, it doesn’t come without a ‘cost’ or ‘lifelong sacrifice’ - if that’s how you choose to view this.
Data has shown that there is a “strong negative correlation between females’ number of surviving weaned sons and their annual probability of producing a viable calf”. In fact, the negative correlation is so strong that for every living son, a mother’s annual likelihood of raising another calf to one year old is cut by half. So essentially, mothers give up on having any more calves so they can care for their sons instead. The energy this requires compromises their health, making it difficult to reproduce and raise another calf anyway, but scientists are starting to question if this is why Orca females experience menopause.
Orca are one of just three species (humans, orca and short-finned pilot whales) confirmed to experience menopause which marks the end of their reproductive years.
The study on this began in 1976 when scientists started monitoring the ‘southern resident’ Orca population off the coast of Washington state and British Columbia. It was conducted to assess the close relationship of an Orca mother and her son and ask if this mother-son dynamic had any long-term impact on the mother - and it seems the answer is yes, it does.
However, the long term gains seem to answer the why, in a type of biological cost-benefit plan. By protecting their sons so efficiently, mothers help to increase the chances of her family’s genes surviving, without her pod using up any more energy or resources than it needs to. Any possible offspring of her son’s won’t have to be raised by her but her genetic material will still be passed on. Males have a greater reproductive potential than females, firstly because they have the opportunity to meet with more females from other pods and secondly, because they don’t have to wait for the gestational period to end to reproduce again.
It makes sense why Orca pods and individuals thrive under the guidance of a grandmother or mother at the head of the family. They aid in social navigation, help to protect newborns from predators, share their knowledge of catch spots, and directly share their catches with, what we now know isn’t necessarily, their favourite child, but the one who will sire much of the next generation. Genius. And quite startling for the sons if they find out, I imagine.
Research doesn’t extend far enough to suggest whether this method pays off or not, but I’d fully believe that Orca know something we don’t and so in conclusion, Orca are as intelligent as we first thought and then some. Who’s surprised?
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Amie 🐋
The anthropomorphism is off the charts right now.
These sons I’m referring to aren’t youngsters, they’re fully grown adults at 30+ years old.
So are females less likely to get involved in rough play or are male Orca just starting fights and letting their mums finish them?
I wonder if orca females have any way of influencing the sex of the offspring they produce? Since essentially all females are guaranteed to reproduce, while males are going to have to compete for the chance, it would appear that the most beneficial strategy would be to have one or two female calves early in life, and then a male calf later in life. I think there are some species of deer which do appear to had increased odds of producing male fawns later in life. It would be interesting if this turns out to also be true for orcas.
Interesting and educational as always! I always skip right to Beached when I see it in my inbox. Thank you Amie!