What is the life cycle of a whale shark?

Answer 1

Killer Whale Females

Females become mature at around 15 years of age. Then they have periods of polyestrous cycling with non-cycling periods of between three and sixteen months. The gestation period varies from fifteen to 18 months. Mothers calve, with a single offspring, about once every five years. In analysed resident pods, birth occurs at any time of year, with the most popular months being those in winter.

Newborn mortality is very high-one survey suggested that nearly half of all calves fail to reach one year old. Calves nurse for up to two years but will start to take solid food at about twelve months. All resident killer whale pod members, including males of all ages, participate in the care of the young. Cows breed until the age of 40, meaning that on average they raise five offspring. Typically, females' life spans average 50 but may survive well into their 70-80s in exceptional cases.

Killer Whale Males

Males become sexually mature at the age of 15 but do not typically reproduce until age 21. Male killer whales generally do not live as long as females. In the wild, males average 30 years, with a maximum of 50-60 years in exceptional cases. However, one male, known as Old Tom, was reportedly spotted every winter between 1843 and 1932 off New South Wales, Australia. This would have made him at least 89 years old. The lifespans of captive killer whales have been known to be significantly shorter, usually less than 25 years, however there are numerous individuals in their thirties, and a couple in their 40s.

Answer 2

The Life Cycle

1. The first stage of the life cycle is the fighting. The male humpback will fight another male for a female. They lunge at each other with their heads or hit each other with their flukes (flukes are tails).

2. Once the female has found her mate she will mate. The mating only takes a few seconds. The male swims under the female.

3.The whale takes birth in the warmer waters in the winter. The female is pregnant for 10-12 months.

4. The whale will have 1 calf almost every year. Unlike other mammals the baby humpback is born tail first. The birth is short because the baby must get to the surface to breath. The mother pushes the calf up to the surface for it's first breath.

5. Two years after the birth the whale will migrate back to Antarctica...

Answer 3

Killers whale babies look just like their parents. They are black and white. When they are born they can weigh 300 pounds and can be 7 feet long. The female killer whale starts having babies at 17 years old. A male killer whale's dorsal fin starts growing at 17 years old and ends at about 21 years old.

Answer 4

Belugas breed in the early Spring (April to June) before migrating to the Churchill area. Pods of whales usually first appear in the Churchill river estuary in early July. They remain here throughout the summer to give birth to their young and to feed on Capella and Lake Cisco fish. Gestation is 14 months and the calves are born in the following August. The calves stay with their mother for two years. In the fall, adults and their calves migrate north to the Arctic Ocean.