"Unveiling an Ancient Orca Oasis: 20,000-Year-Old Refugium Discovered in Northern Pacific"

Researchers have discovered that orca pods in the northern Pacific, near Japan and Russia, have distinct cultures, dialects, and traditions due to their ice age ancestry. Some pods have stayed in their refugiums from the ice age rather than migrating, leading to differences in diet and behavior. The researchers argue for the classification of orcas into several species or subspecies to better understand their ecotypes and their impact on ecosystem balance and fishing practices.