Orcas are among the most cognitively complex animals on Earth, living in tight family units with distinct cultures. Understanding the threats they face is essential for protecting their welfare and survival.
Wild orcas face a convergence of welfare-impairing threats: starvation from prey depletion, acoustic disruption from vessel traffic, and chemical contamination. Their complex social structure means the loss of elder individuals — particularly post-reproductive grandmothers — disrupts cultural knowledge transmission across the entire family group. Welfare in this context is inseparable from ecosystem health and conservation policy. Captive orcas face extreme welfare compromise that no enrichment programme can adequately address.