In the 1960s and 70s, dozens of southern resident killer whales were captured from the Salish Sea, or killed in the process, after the rise of captive orca entertainment. Just as the population began to recover from the capture era, new threats emerged. Today, these whales carry a toxic legacy in their bodies. Industrial chemicals like PCBs, flame retardants, and banned pesticides such as DDT persist in the environment and accumulate in their blubber. These pollutants can weaken immune systems,