I think that there are a series of issues demographically with the whales. Apparently only two males are doing the (successful) breeding. Due to food scarcity, females breed less often. Then, of course, if they abort the fetus.....

I think females breed over 20-30 years and then become assistants (aunties). So, while they may be alive the older females aren't gonna help produce more babies. With the dearth of young animals, there are few coming up to become breeders. We may get into the situation where we have, say, 50 whales and they are all non-breeders. The real question to be asked is when the population becomes functionally extinct.