Why do killer whales have collapsed fins?

Contrary to popular belief, fin collapse doesn't just affect captive whales. Biologists think there are several reasons for the phenomenon. Following is a transcript of the video. Contrary to popular belief, it's not just in captive whales. read more

All males in captivity have collapsed dorsal fins, but the condition, also known as dorsal fin collapse, flaccid fin, or folded fin syndrome, does occur in many captive females. Scientists are not certain why orcas have dorsal fins or what purpose the appendages serve. read more

Many of the female orcas in captivity have these collapsed dorsal fins as well. Though SeaWorld claims, "Neither the shape nor the droop of a whale's dorsal fin are indicators of a killer whale's health or well-being," collapsed dorsal fins are extremely rare in the wild. read more

Scientists from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have reported that "the collapsed dorsal fins commonly seen in captive killer whales do not result from a pathogenic condition, but are instead thought to most likely originate from an irreversible structural change in the fin's collagen over time. read more