Whale Lifespan. Each pregnancy results in one calf born in the water. Killer whale mothers give birth to live young, known as calves. Although toothed whales have teeth, they don't chew their food—they use their teeth for capturing and tearing food. They're immediately recognizable by their distinctive black-and-white coloring. And, Although captive whale survival has risen over the years, these animals still lag their wild counterparts considerably. The area usually seen as white on adult killer whales is a … In the wild, killer whales can live between 50 and 80 years. Their lifespans closely follow their mating years. In the wild the killer whale can live up to 60 years, however more often then not they only survive until they are around 35 years of age due to hunting, sickness, change of habitat, and predators. At birth, calves are around 8.5 feet long and weigh between 260 and 350 lbs. Old Tom was … In the wild, the average female killer whale will live around 50 years, although some have survived much longer. Orcas live in all latitudes, in all oceans, from the Arctic Ocean to Antarctica. Wild killer whales are not considered a threat to humans, but there have been cases of captive orcas killing or injuring their handlers at marine theme parks. Orcas that live out in the wild can live for up to 80 years. Orcas, or killer whales, are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. These teeth can be up to 4 inches long. In captivity, however, orcas' life expectancies are often cut short. Males don't live as long, averaging 30 years. Survivorship in the wild. Killer whales feature strongly in the mythologies of indigenous cultures, with their reputation ranging from being the souls of humans to merciless killers. As with humans, the females live longer. Posted Apr 29, 2015 A new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Mammalogy by the Oxford University Press adds important insights to the debate over how long killer whales in human care live. Young killers whales get their first teeth at 2 to 4 months of age. Once again, though, there are cases of them living much longer. And male … With its well-known tall dorsal fin and characteristic black and white color pattern, the killer whale has been known to coastal peoples for thousands of years and is one of the more recognizable species today. The life cycle of a whale varies from type to type, but the best known species have the following: Different methods exist for estimating the life spans of killer whales. The dorsal fin and tail flukes of a newborn calf are flexible for several days. However, types of whales have an average age they usually attain.Male and female killer whales or orcas have differing lifespans. The calves are usually born tail-first, though some head-first deliveries have occurred. Different methods exist for estimating the life spans of killer whales. How long do killer whale live for ... 35 years no killer whale has lived past that age. The average lifespan of a wild killer whale is about 50 years. Our oldest whale, Corky, is almost 50 and we hope she lives to 80 and beyond. In captivity, they live about 25 years. Old Tom, an Orca who worked to help the whaling crews from Two Fold Bay, in Eden NSW, Australia, lived to be 80 years old. Female killer whale (killer whales are actually part of the dolphin species) that live in the wild for example have been known to live for up to 70 – 80 years, although the average is about 50 years.