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Pregnancy



On average a female orca has from 3 to 5 offspring during a reproductive lifetime of about 25 years. She might have her first baby around 14 years of age, although we know of younger females who have become mothers as early as 10 years of age. Gestation is about 17 months. Babies are often born between October and March and nursed for a full year after birth. Very often the baby is first seen when the orcas return for the summer season. One female, Simoom (A34) has has all four of her babies in the Fall in the Johnstone Strait area. Although none of the births was directly witnessed, each of the calves was seen within a few days of birth.

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