He and other researchers said the findings could be important for orca conservation, suggesting it's just as vital to protect older, postmenopausal females as it is younger females of breeding age and their offspring.

他和其他研究人员都认为这些发现可能对保护虎鲸意义重大，因为研究发现保护年龄较大、绝经后的雌鲸与保护育龄的年轻雌鲸及其后代同样重要。

Orca matriarchs, she said, play a critical role in the species' survival by guiding their families to fish when stocks are low and caring for the young while the mothers of breeding age hunt.

她认为虎鲸的雌性长辈在该物种的生存中起着至关重要的作用。 在食物短缺时，传授家族群体捕猎技巧；当生育期母鲸捕猎时，照顾孙辈幼鲸。