Bowhead whales are the longest-lived mammals on Earth, living over 200 years. Their welfare in a rapidly changing Arctic faces growing threats from noise, vessel traffic, and climate change.
Bowhead whale welfare faces growing pressure from industrial noise in their previously quiet Arctic habitat. These acoustically sophisticated whales use complex vocal repertoires for social communication and feeding coordination. Seismic survey noise from oil and gas exploration causes acute behavioral disruption and may cause direct hearing damage at close range. As Arctic sea ice melts, the introduction of commercial shipping routes through bowhead habitat compounds noise pollution. Bowheads have survived multiple glaciations over their centuries-long lives, demonstrating extraordinary resilience, but the pace of current change may exceed their adaptive capacity. Indigenous knowledge systems that have tracked bowhead welfare across generations provide important welfare monitoring insights.