Half of the orcs are threatened with extinction

Orcs are among the most common mammals in the world. However, pollution is a great threat to their future. A study shows that half of the world’s population of this species has declined rapidly.

In more than 152 other countries around the world, however, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) continue to pollute and threaten the environment. Formerly, present in many electrical appliances, insulators, paints or oils, they are very tenacious and persist in the oceans …

More than a million tonnes have been reported since their first use in the 1930s.

In their article published in the journal Science, researchers are concerned about the very high levels of PCBs found in orc tissue: up to 1,300 milligrams per kilogram have been measured in their fats. Orcs are among the mammals that contain the most in the world.

According to their projections, the world’s population of wild killer whales could be reduced by half in 30 to 50 years in the most polluted areas. The areas where orcs are most at risk include those bordering Brazil, the United Kingdom and the Strait of Gibraltar.

But that’s not all. PCBs are not the only threat to orcs, there are also microplastics, plus overfishing, noise created by humans…

Find out more on Science.