/ ©: USFSW/Brad Benter

Arctic Whales

There are 17 different whale species (including dolphins and porpoises) in the Arctic.
Some of these live in the Arctic all year round, such as the narwhal and beluga, and some, such as the humpback whale and gray whale, migrate to the cooler arctic waters during the northern summer to give birth.

In the Arctic, WWF's work focuses on:

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Why are arctic whales threatened?

Diminished sea ice

As arctic sea ice cover decreases, arctic whales will need to adapt.
  • The distribution and populations of prey will change
  • Whale habitat will be increasingly open to industrial development
  • Their migratory patterns, which are influenced by the extent of sea ice, will be altered.

Whaling

Oil and gas exploration

Bycatch

Decreasing fish stocks

Learn more

What WWF is doing for Arctic whales

  • Working to reduce the major threats to whales. WWF's long term vision for whales is for all populations of whales to have recovered to viable numbers and to be thriving throughout the oceans.
  • Lobbying to bring whale hunting under the strict control of the International Whaling Commission, through field research, training and capacity building, conservation education, and by securing improved national and international action and agreements.
  • Investigating and monitoring the illegal trade in whale meat through support to TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring programme of WWF and IUCN (the World Conservation Organisation).

We get results!

What you can do

Sustainable whale watching

It's not just good fun; whale watching is good for conservation too.

WWF encourages carefully controlled whale watching because we believe it can promote conservation.
  • In the Andenes and Tysfjord areas of northern Norway, where sperm whales and orcas are commonly seen, WWF has helped develop whale watching.
  • In Iceland, WWF provides funding for The Whale Centre, an interactive museum devoted to whales and the history of whaling in Husavik.

When and where to see whales

Where When Whales
Canada June-August Bowhead, narwhal, beluga, fin, minke, killer, gray, humpback, pilot, Dall's porpoise, Northern Right Pacific white-sided dolphin, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, white beaked dolphin, harbour porpoise. Occasionally blue
Greenland July-September Fin, killer, minke, humpback, beluga, narwhal, harbour porpoises
Iceland May-September Minke, humpback, fin, blue, orca, Atlantic white sided dolphin, Atlantic white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises Occasionally: sei, fin, sperm, pilot
Norway May-January Sperm, minke, fin, killer, pilot, occasionally humpback until Autumn. Orcas in Tysfjord in Fall and Winter.
Alaska (US) June-August Fin, humpback, killer, grey, minke

2 kinds of whales

  • Baleen whales have baleen rather than teeth. Hundreds of long, flexible plates grow down on either side from the roof of their mouths. The whale takes a mouthful of water containing its prey, closes its mouth and forces the water out between the baleen plates with its tongue. The food is trapped and swallowed.

    Arctic baleen whales include:
    • Bowhead
    • Gray
    • Minke

    Toothed whales have teeth instead of baleen, and one external blowhole.

    Arctic toothed whales include:
    • Narwhal
    • Beluga
    • Orca

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Photos and graphics © WWF or used with permission. Text available under a Creative Commons licence.