How long do Whales live for? A great question and the answer is all dependant on the species. Whales and dolphins live for long periods of time and the average lifespan is generally forty to sixty years. Delving into each species we can learn more about the lifespan of individuals but one important factor which is important to consider is whaling. During the years of whaling many thousands of individuals were taken and this affected populations of cetaceans all around the world. All age groups were targeted and this caused thousands of whales not to live their full life and create very limited research opportunities with so few whales remaining. Fast track to today and we are seeing a wonderful recovery of many cetacean species worldwide which is providing opportunities to study individuals and track their normal lifespan.
HUMPBACK WHALE
Living for 60 to 70 years on average the Humpback Whale also has one of the worlds longest migrations to achieve each year and becomes a wise ocean wanderer in no time starting their first journey as a newborn.
SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE
A beautiful species that also has a wonderfully long lifespan of 60-70 years. Studies continue on these populations to document individuals and see how long they live for and for females their calving intervals.
ORCA (KILLER WHALE)
A phenomenal lifespan for the females of up to 100 years and up to 70 years for the males. One of the longest living mammals in the world, as females live longest they lead and educate their family as matriarch.
SPERM WHALE
Legends of the sea the incredible Sperm Whale has a lifespan of 50 to 70 years. Boasting the largest brain in the world and claiming the total of worlds largest toothed predator they are a stunning species.
BOWHEAD WHALE
A truely extraordinary species that has recently been documented to live for 200 years or more, the longest living mammal on the planet! The Bowhead Whale lives in the northern hemisphere and one of few creatures to live in the Arctic year round.
DOLPHIN SPECIES
The many different species including Striped Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Pilot Whales, False Killer Whales and Risso Dolphins have a lifespan of 40 to 60 years on average. Females appear to have calves through to their late forties and it is possible that they may go through a similar process to menopause and become nan to younger pod members in their later life.
