Women's World

catbyte

(35,763 posts) Mon Dec 9, 2019, 04:54 PM Dec 2019

Caring killer whale grandmas help calves survive

By Agence France-Presse

Doting killer whale grandmothers help their grand calves survive, particularly in times of food scarcity, scientists reported Monday in a paper that sheds new light on the evolutionary role of menopause.

Orca females stop reproducing in their thirties or forties but can continue to live for decades more, a phenomenon known only to exist in humans and four other mammal species, all of which are whales.

It has been suggested that the trait evolved because it allowed post reproductive females to help their wider kin — referred to as the “grandmother effect” in people, but the theory had not been tested in whales until now.

“This is the first non-human example of the grandmother effect in a menopausal species,” senior author Daniel Franks from the University of York told AFP.

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https://www.rawstory.com/2019/12/caring-killer-whale-grandmas-help-calves-survive/

5 replies

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Caring killer whale grandmas help calves survive (Original Post) catbyte Dec 2019 OP

grandma's made us who we are. mopinko Dec 2019 #1

Isn't that the truth? catbyte Dec 2019 #2

nothing better for a kid than and active grandparent. mopinko Dec 2019 #3

Absolutely. I find it fascinating that humans and some species of whales are the only females catbyte Dec 2019 #4

evolution only gives up reproduction for one reason. advantage. mopinko Dec 2019 #5

mopinko

(71,797 posts)

1. grandma's made us who we are.

Reply to catbyte (Original post)

Mon Dec 9, 2019, 04:56 PM

Dec 2019

catbyte

(35,763 posts)

2. Isn't that the truth?

Reply to mopinko (Reply #1)

Mon Dec 9, 2019, 05:05 PM

Dec 2019

I learned so much from my grandma. Both of my parents worked so I spent my summers at my grandparents' house. They lived practically next door to me so I saw her every day. She died in 1986 when I was 31 and I still miss her.

mopinko

(71,797 posts)

3. nothing better for a kid than and active grandparent.

Reply to catbyte (Reply #2)

Mon Dec 9, 2019, 05:10 PM

Dec 2019

but evolutionarily speaking, menopause is a huge thing. grandmas are a huge thing. a lynchpin into tribal cultures.

catbyte

(35,763 posts)

4. Absolutely. I find it fascinating that humans and some species of whales are the only females

Reply to mopinko (Reply #3)

Mon Dec 9, 2019, 05:27 PM

Dec 2019

that we know of --so far--on the planet that fulfills this role.

mopinko

(71,797 posts)

5. evolution only gives up reproduction for one reason. advantage.

Reply to catbyte (Reply #4)

Mon Dec 9, 2019, 05:30 PM

Dec 2019

i have a sneaking suspicion that menopause crept in at about the same time males began to invest in a small number of offspring, instead of just broadcasting their seed.
i suspect that whole set up just doesnt work w/o a MIL.

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