Giant whales move into Greenland waters as ice disappears

What the report says

BBC World News reports that rapidly disappearing sea ice off East Greenland is allowing some of the world’s largest whales to enter coastal waters where they were not historically seen. Based on a decades-long study, scientists documented humpback, minke and fin whales feeding in summer in areas that were previously blocked by ice, describing the pattern as a major shift in the local marine ecosystem.

The research team combined ship and aerial surveys from 2015 and 2024 with satellite tracking and observations from Inuit hunters. According to the article, humpback sightings in ship-based surveys rose from none before 2006 to seven in 2007 and 150 by 2024. The scientists estimated that about 4,000 humpbacks, 6,000 fin whales and 6,000 minke whales visited the Greenland Sea in summer 2024.

The BBC says the whales appear to be taking advantage of warmer water and new food sources, feeding on fish now moving into the region. The study estimated the three species could consume at least 800,000 tonnes of fish and krill in a summer season. Researchers also cautioned that the trend may reflect movement from other areas rather than a true population increase.

The article adds that the changes could benefit these baleen whales, but may put pressure on other Arctic species such as narwhals and belugas, which are losing habitat. The study was published in Frontiers in Marine Science.