noting is how killer whales reproduce. The way that killer whales reproduce is very unusual as compared to other mammals or even other whales. Killer whales mate during a specific season. The male, called a bull, and the female, called a cow, engage in playful courting as part of the mating process. The whales stroke each other with their flippers during courting. Females breed at 9 to 10 years while males breed at 16 to 17 years. The gestation period or pregnancy period lasts 13 to 17 months. A female will give birth every 10 years, sometimes every 3 years. A whale has only one baby at a time. A baby whale is called a calf. Twins rarely occur. During birth one or more females may help the mother. Whales are already giant animals at birth. Calves are born in fall and winter. They are 8 feet long and grow 4 inches every month. As soon as the baby is born, the mother nudges it to the surface to take its first breath. She stays close to it for at least a year. During this year, the female will nurse her calf. She has special breast muscles that pump milk into the baby's mouth. “Whale milk is highly concentrated and rich in fat, protein, and minerals.” (Leatherwood & Reeves, Pg. 134) This helps the calves grow amazingly fast. Overall, there are a plethora of characteristics and attributes that make killer whales unique. Whether it is the killer instinct, life span, or method of reproduction, it is easy to see that killer whales are very special creatures. Though there are many different kinds of whales, I chose to write about one specific species of whale: the killer whale or orcinus orca. Whales are thought to be along the lines of gentle of nonviolent. Killer whales, however, are neither. It is these characteristics of the killer whale that many people find intriguing. Whales, in general, are very unique creatures. The killer whale is unique in its own way, and possesses certain characteristics th...
