Southern Residents May Depend on Interaction with Other Whale Populations

Endangered Southern Resident killer whales are known for the tight-knit family structure that isolates them from other killer whale populations. In 2005, National Marine Fisheries Service listed the whales as a distinct population segment under the Endangered Species Act, and they remain at risk from insufficient prey, environmental contaminants, disturbance, and inbreeding.

In a recent study, scientists report that a fifth factor—interactions with other killer whale populations—may determine their future.