Narwhals are uniquely vulnerable Arctic cetaceans whose welfare is increasingly threatened by sea ice loss, shipping noise, and entrapment events caused by climate change.
Narwhals represent a compelling case for the intersection of conservation and individual animal welfare. Their extreme physiological stress responses to human disturbance suggest they experience intense fear during encounters with ships or human activity — and climate change is multiplying those encounters as previously impassable Arctic sea ice opens up. The welfare of individual narwhals during entrapment events — where hundreds can die over days or weeks — is also significant. Protecting narwhal welfare requires both climate action and careful management of human access to Arctic waters.