Beluga whales face welfare challenges both in the wild from Arctic change and in captivity, where their social and acoustic complexity makes confinement particularly problematic.
Beluga welfare in captivity is severely compromised by the mismatch between their social, acoustic, and ranging needs and what even large tanks can provide. In the wild, belugas may travel hundreds of kilometres and engage in complex vocal communication across their pod. In tanks, sound reflects off walls, creating acoustic disorientation, and social groupings are artificial and unstable. Stress-related behaviours including floating motionless, repetitive circling, and abnormal social interactions are documented. In the wild, climate change is displacing belugas from ice-associated habitats they depend on seasonally, while Arctic shipping increases noise pollution that interferes with echolocation and communication.