Narwhals are unique Arctic cetaceans whose specialized ecology makes them among the most vulnerable mammals to climate change. Their welfare is intertwined with sea ice stability and prey availability in rapidly changing northern seas.
Narwhal welfare science is limited by the extreme difficulty of studying a species in remote Arctic environments. What is known is alarming: narwhals respond to boat disturbance with prolonged and extreme physiological stress responses - elevated heart rates, diving behavior changes, and stress hormone surges that persist far longer than in most cetaceans. This 'narwhal paradox' (diving with heart rates as low as 3-4 bpm while fleeing perceived threats) represents a unique vulnerability. Subsistence hunting continues in Canada and Greenland under indigenous quotas. The greatest long-term threat is habitat transformation through sea ice loss.