Wildlife of
Greenland

Primary Threats

• Arctic warming is reducing sea ice extent/duration and altering ice phenology that many species rely on. Polar bears face reduced access to seal prey and longer fasting periods; walrus and some seals lose resting/haul-out habitat; and shifts in ocean temperature and currents change plankton and fish distributions, affecting seabirds, whales, and fisheries. Thawing permafrost increases coastal erosion and landslide risk in settlements and can degrade tundra habitats.
• Greenland's economy depends heavily on marine harvests (notably shrimp and Greenland halibut). Climate-driven shifts in stock distribution and productivity increase uncertainty, while high dependence on a few stocks can intensify pressure. Localized depletion risks are greatest near accessible coastal fishing grounds and where bycatch or unreported catches undermine stock assessments.
• Subsistence and regulated commercial hunting of marine mammals and terrestrial species (e.g., seals, some whales under quota frameworks, musk ox in certain areas) can become a conservation pressure if quotas are misaligned with population trends or if climate stress reduces recruitment. Enforcement and monitoring are logistically difficult across remote coasts and seasonal ice.
• Long-range transported contaminants (e.g., persistent organic pollutants and mercury) accumulate in Arctic food webs and top predators such as polar bears and some marine mammals, with potential reproductive and immune effects. Local sources include waste handling challenges in small communities, marine litter and lost fishing gear along coasts, and spill risks from shipping and fuel storage.
• Interest in critical minerals and other resources can cause localized habitat loss and fragmentation in rare ice-free areas, increase road/port development, and elevate risks of sedimentation, dust, and contamination in fjords and rivers. Projects can overlap with caribou/musk ox ranges, seabird colonies, and coastal ecosystems used for hunting and fishing.
• New or expanded airports, harbors, roads, and coastal facilities-often concentrated near towns-can disturb breeding seabirds, fragment tundra habitats, and increase noise and vessel traffic in fjords. As sea ice declines, longer shipping seasons increase cumulative impacts and accident/spill risk in remote waters with limited response capacity.
• Tourism growth (cruise ships, wildlife viewing, hiking near settlements and iconic fjords) can disturb nesting seabirds, haul-out sites, and sensitive tundra vegetation that recovers slowly. Disturbance is particularly impactful in short breeding seasons and in narrow fjord systems where boats concentrate.
• Polar bears increasingly approach settlements when sea ice conditions reduce hunting opportunities or when bears are displaced by changing ice. This raises safety risks and can lead to lethal control. Conflicts can also involve sled dogs and attractants around waste or food storage.
• Direct habitat conversion is limited by Greenland's large ice-covered area, but it is concentrated in biologically important ice-free coastal zones and valleys near towns and project sites. Industrial footprints, gravel extraction, and port construction can remove tundra and shore habitats; glacier retreat also transforms freshwater and fjord habitats, effectively changing (and sometimes eliminating) established ecological conditions.
• Hydropower development and water diversions near some towns can alter river flow regimes and downstream fjord sediment/nutrient dynamics. Additionally, intensified vessel traffic can modify acoustic environments in key whale habitats, altering behavior and habitat use.