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Killer whale mothers protect their sons more than their daughters, new study finds
Fox News
A study found that based on teeth mark evidence, mother killer whales are more likely to support their sons against other orcas rather than their daughters.
The males had fewer scratch marks on their bodies if their mothers were present with them and were no longer breeding, the research found. "One possibility is that ceasing breeding frees up time and energy for mothers to protect their sons." Orca sons "are really reliant on their moms for their survival." Brittany Kasko is a lifestyle production assistant with Fox News Digital.
Lead researcher Charli Grimes of the University of Exeter told BBC News that the protection from these older mothers was very targeted: The mom orca, he said, "is definitely, in some way, trying to protect her sons," the BBC reported.