Whale menopause linked to longer lifespan - BBC News

A study of whales sheds light on the evolutionary puzzle of the menopause.

22 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Killer whales are among five whale and dolphin species that go through menopauseBy Helen Briggs and Victoria GillScience correspondents, BBC NewsWhales that go through the menopause live longer, enabling them to care for extended family, scientists have found.

The research gives clues to the origins of menopause, which is found in humans and a handful of marine mammals only.

In evolutionary terms, stopping reproduction half-way through life is a biological puzzle.

Most species reproduce until they die, seemingly maximising the chances of passing their genes on to the next generation.

Dr Sam Ellis, from the University of Exeter, who led the research, said in some whale species evolution had selected for a longer female lifespan so mothers and grandmothers could continue to support their family long after the end of their own reproductive life.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68528499

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