Moreover, thyroid disruption has emerged as a critical area of investigation in orcas and other marine mammals due to the bioaccumulation of endocrine-disrupting pollutants—such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs)—that interfere with thyroid hormone homeostasis and have been linked to metabolic, developmental, and reproductive impairments (Tanabe, 2002; Bennett et al., 2021; Bjørneset et al., 2023). The gene discussed is TG; the disease is thyroiditis.