Narwhals face unique welfare challenges as climate change alters their Arctic habitat, affecting their iconic tusks, deep-diving behavior, and sea-ice dependent lifestyle.
Narwhals experience significant stress responses to sudden noise disturbances - their heart rate can drop dramatically during 'freeze' responses while simultaneously increasing muscle activity, a paradoxical reaction suggesting acute fear. As sea ice retreats, narwhals encounter unfamiliar open-water conditions and increased vessel traffic that disrupts their feeding and social behaviors. Populations in some regions have declined, and individuals forced into new migration patterns may face nutritional stress.