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The Puget Sound Southern Resident orcas are an extended family of whales that live in close-knit matriarchal family units for their entire lives. Since the last ice age, the Southern Residents have returned to Puget Sound, Haro Strait, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca every spring and summer. These whales are among the most intelligent animals in the world with their own language and greeting rituals. During the 1990s, the Southern Residents declined by more than 20 percent, leaving only 85 members of this magnificent family remaining on the planet. As of December 2004, the orcas are finally on their way to obtaining protection under the Endangered Species Act with help from Earthjustice attorney Patti Goldman.