Menopause explains the longevity of whales. Female killer whales, pilot whales or greater belugas live up to 36% longer coinciding with the offspring of their daughters.

This way they have more time for intergenerational care. It is the animal version of grandmother's hypothesis. The idea that post-reproductive women were essential in human evolution shaped that grandmother hypothesis. In orcas, it had already been observed that calves live longer when they have a grandmother, which suggested a familial function for menopause.