Orcas: Killer Beauties
Longevity and Death Causes
New data indicates that the average lifespan of the Orcas is between the 50.2 and 80.2 years for Females and 29.9 to 50 years in males. Approximately 45% to 60% of the young that are born wild die before reaching the one-year of age.
Studies on the longevity.
As a Orca grows, new layers of the covering of the teeth take place. The age of an individual can be estimated by examining a cross section of these teeth and then to examine the tooth and count these layers. These estimations are very precise in young Orcas, However that's not a rule for older individuals, because new layers will not grow after the animal reach the 20 years, this condition demonstrate that this method can not be used in older individuals.
Orca mother pushing her dead Calf, another one among the 45% to 60% which dies before reaching one year of age. Photo Credit: © 1999 Amos Nachoum.
The Orcas are the greatest predators in the sea. A healthy adult Orca does not have any natural predator; but the sharks attack the oldest individuals, younger, or ill Orcas of the group.
The human interaction.
The Orcas near to coast are more exposed to die by the contamination of waters, the competition with the human being by the limited existences of fish, and other environmental factors as they are, the smoke and the increase of alkalinity in the waters that they frequent.
The Orcas as also the whales can suffer viral, bacteriological infections, and fungal infections. In addition, they are exposed to develop stomach ulcers, diseases of the skin, tumors, diseases of the heart, and you respiratory disorders.
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