Beluga whales are highly social, vocal, and intelligent cetaceans facing pressure from captivity, live capture, and habitat degradation. Their welfare needs are among the most complex of any cetacean.
Beluga welfare in captivity is severely compromised. These are wide-ranging, acoustically complex, socially sophisticated animals whose needs cannot be met in even the largest aquarium tanks. Stereotypic swimming, aggression, and abnormal repetitive behaviours are documented in captive populations. The international trade in live belugas for entertainment has been criticised by welfare and conservation organisations for decades. Wild beluga welfare is shaped by prey availability, pollution, and climate — making systemic environmental protection the most impactful lever available.