Melting East Greenland ice draws massive baleen whales into new summer feeding grounds
A long-term study shows that disappearing sea ice along East Greenland has allowed humpback, fin and minke whales to move into waters they previously could not reach.
Decades of observation have documented a dramatic shift in East Greenland's marine ecosystem as sea ice vanishes, opening the coast to humpback, fin and minke whales that were once excluded. Ship-based monitoring recorded the first humpback sighting in 2006, rising to roughly 150 sightings by 2024, while aerial surveys in 2015 and 2024 mapped extensive baleen whale presence. Satellite-tagged individuals and testimonies from Inuit hunters support estimates of about 4,000 humpbacks, 6,000 fin whales and 6,000 minke whales feeding in the region each summer.
Scientists attribute the influx to rising water temperatures and the movement of fish and krill into the newly ice-free zone, estimating at least 800,000 tonnes of prey consumed. The study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, notes uncertainty about whether whale numbers are growing overall or simply redistributing, and highlights that other Arctic species such as narwhals and belugas may be losing habitat as a result.
Why it matters
The arrival of large whales signals a major ecological shift in the Arctic, affecting fisheries, local hunting practices and vulnerable marine species.
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