Narwhals are enigmatic Arctic whales famous for their long spiral tusks. Climate change and industrial expansion into Arctic waters pose serious welfare threats to these sensitive animals.
Narwhal welfare is uniquely linked to sea ice conditions. As ice-associated specialists, narwhals in areas of rapidly changing ice face disorientation, altered prey distribution, and increased exposure to vessel traffic and predation. Mass stranding events where narwhals become trapped under ice and drown demonstrate their extreme vulnerability to habitat change. Industrial shipping through previously ice-covered Arctic routes exposes narwhals to vessel strike and chronic noise pollution that disrupts their echolocation and social communication. Sustainable Indigenous hunting governed by traditional knowledge and co-management is a lesser welfare concern than industrial threats.