The loss of sea ice poses a few problems

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which designated the species as Vulnerable in 1996, claims that belugas have long been susceptible to overexploitation by humans since they return to the same estuaries every summer. Legal protection has aided in the recovery of certain populations in recent decades, prompting the IUCN to downgrade belugas from Near Threatened to Least Concern in 2017.

According to the IUCN, there are currently roughly 200,000 belugas living in 21 subpopulations throughout their habitat, but there are still much fewer belugas than there were just 100 years ago, and there is still worry for their future. The species itself confronts the difficult issue of adjusting to high-speed climate change, including the reduction of Arctic sea ice, and certain subpopulations are tiny and vulnerable. Less sea ice exposes belugas to external risks such as ship noise and accidents, oil and gas sector pollution, and even competition for food from other whales. For example, belugas depend on sea ice to help them catch fish and avoid orcas.