When should killer whales not be considered an endangered species?
When they interfere with doing business, according to a lawsuit filed this week against the federal government by farming and industry groups in Washington state who say that the special designation will result in "needless" restrictions on farms near rivers inhabited by salmon, which are the whales' prime food source.
"Farmers could face fines and even imprisonment for the most basic farm practices should such actions allegedly disturb salmon," the lawsuit reads. Environmentalists say that scenario is far-fetched, although harassing a protected species does carry a year in jail.
Orcas are a species of black and white whale featured in the film "Free Willy" and can grow to 30 feet long and weigh 10 tons. Three orca pods, or families, live in western Washington's inland waters from late spring to early fall. They total 89 whales, up from a low of 79 in 2002 but down from historical levels of 140 or more.
CNN has more.
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