Narwhals are among the most specialised and vulnerable of all cetaceans. Their sensitivity to disturbance and dependence on specific Arctic habitats makes them highly exposed to climate change and human pressure.
Narwhal welfare is primarily shaped by environmental conditions rather than direct human exploitation. Shipping noise in previously quiet Arctic passages triggers extreme flight responses — observed heart rate spikes after ice entrapment suggest acute physiological stress. As sea ice retreats, narwhals lose the protective cover they use to evade killer whales, increasing predation pressure and chronic fear states. Climate-driven changes to prey distribution affect nutritional condition. The welfare of narwhals is therefore inseparable from the broader trajectory of Arctic climate policy.