Mama's boys: Elder orca moms protect sons from fights

Washington (AFP) July 20, 2023

A male orca's best friend is his old mother. That's according to a new scientific paper published Thursday in Current Biology, which found female killer whales that have undergone menopause prevent their sons - though not their daughters - from getting injured in fights. Lead author Charli Grimes told AFP what drew her to the subject was just how rare menopause is in the natural world.