Hundreds of giant whales are swimming into coastal waters near East Greenland because sea ice is melting. Scientists call this a big change in the ocean.
In the past, thick sea ice blocked humpback, minke, and fin whales from entering these areas. Now, rising temperatures are melting the ice and opening new spaces for the animals. During the summer, these large mammals come to feed on fish and krill.
Researchers from the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources tracked the whales for many years. Before 2006, scientists did not see a single humpback whale off the East Greenland coast. By the summer of 2024, they counted about 4,000 humpback whales, 6,000 fin whales, and 6,000 minke whales in the area. Together, these whales eat at least 800,000 tonnes of food every summer.
While warming waters bring new opportunities for large whales, other Arctic animals are suffering. Species like narwhals and beluga whales are losing their cold-water home as the ice disappears.