They do exist. The narwhal, or narwhale (Monodon monoceros), is a medium-sized toothed whale and possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia. It is one of two living species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the beluga whale. The narwhal males are distinguished by a long, straight, helical tusk, which is an elongated upper left canine. The narwhal was one of many species described by Carolus Linnaeus in his publication Systema Naturae in 1758. Like the beluga, narwhals are medium-sized whales. For both genders, excluding the male's tusk, the total body size can range from 3.95 to 5.5 metres (13.0 to 18.0 feet); the males are slightly larger than the females. The average weight of an adult narwhal is 800 to 1,600 kilograms (1,800 to 3,500 pounds). At around 11 to 13 years old, the males become sexually mature; females become sexually mature at about 5 to 8 years old. Narwhals do not have a dorsal fin, and their neck vertebrae are jointed like those of other mammals, not fused as in dolphins and most whales. Found primarily in Canadian Arctic and Greenlandic waters, the narwhal is a uniquely specialized Arctic predator. In winter, it feeds on benthic prey, mostly flatfish, under dense pack ice. During the summer, narwhals mostly eat Arctic cod and Greenland halibut, with other fish such as Polar cod making up the remainder of their diet. Each year, they migrate from bays into the ocean as summer comes. In the winter, the male narwhals occasionally dive up to 1,500 metres (4,900 feet) in depth, with dives lasting up to 25 minutes. Narwhals, like most toothed whales, communicate with "clicks", "whistles", and "knocks". Narwhals can live up to 50 years old. They are often killed by suffocation when the sea ice freezes over. Another cause of fatality, specifically among young whales, is starvation. The current population of the narwhal is about 75,000, so narwhals qualify for Near Threatened under the criterion of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Narwhals have been harvested for over a thousand years by Inuit people in northern Canada and Greenland for meat and ivory, and a regulated subsistence hunt continues.
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NARWHALS a small Arctic whale, the male of which has a long forward-pointing spirally twisted tusk developed from one of its teeth. The narwhal is the unicorn of the sea, a pale-colored porpoise found in Arctic coastal waters and rivers. These legendary animals have two teeth. In males, the more prominent tooth grows into a swordlike, spiral tusk up to 8.8 feet (2.7 meters) long. The ivory tusk tooth grows right through the narwhal's upper lip. Scientists are not certain of the tusk's purpose, but some believe it is prominent in mating rituals, perhaps used to impress females or to battle rival suitors. Females sometimes grow a small tusk of their own, but it does not become as prominent as the male's. Narwhals are related to bottlenose dolphins, belugas, harbor porpoises, and orcas. Like some other porpoises, they travel in groups and feed on fish, shrimp, squid, and other aquatic fare. They are often sighted swimming in groups of 15 to 20, but gatherings of hundreds—or even several thousand—narwhals have been reported. Sometimes these groups become trapped by shifting pack ice and fall victim to Inuit hunters, polar bears, or walruses. Inuit people hunt the narwhal for their long tusks and their skin, an important source of vitamin C in the traditional Arctic diet. Often dubbed the unicorns of the sea, narwhals are strange and beautiful creatures with long tusks protruding from their heads. Members of the population of more than 80,000 can weigh up to 4,200 pounds and grow as long as 17 feet in length. Check out some common questions about these near-threatened whales. 1. What is a narwhal tusk? The narwhal tusk—most commonly found on males—is actually an enlarged tooth with sensory capability and up to 10 million nerve endings inside. Some narwhals have up to two tusks, while others have none. The spiraled tusk juts from the head and can grow as long at 10 feet. 2. Where do narwhals live? Unlike some whale species that migrate, narwhals spend their lives in the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. Most narwhals winter for up to five months under sea ice in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait area. 3. What threats do narwhals face? Oil and gas development and climate change pose threats to narwhals. Increased development means more shipping vessels, creating more opportunities for collisions and more underwater noise that can interfere with communication among the whales. WWF helps raise awareness of and address the threat of noise pollution on narwhals and other whales. The Don’t Be a Buckethead initiative delves further into this topic. 4. What do narwhals eat? Narwhals feed on Greenland halibut, Arctic and polar cod, squid and shrimp. They do their chomping at the ice floe edge and in the ice-free summer waters. 5. How deep do narwhals dive? Narwhals can dive a mile-and-a-half deep in the ocean. Cracks in the sea ice above allow them to pop up for air when they need it. 6. What color are narwhals? Narwhals change color as they age. Newborns are a blue-gray, juveniles are blue-black and adults are a mottled gray. Old narwhals are nearly all white. 7. How do we learn more about narwhals? WWF learns more about the movements of narwhals through satellite tracking. We document the paths of narwhals during their annual feeding and reproductive routines to better understand the species. The "unicorn of the ocean," the narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is one of the rarest whales in the world. Narwhals are very elusive and mysterious in nature, and very distinct in appearance due to the large horn-like tusk on their faces. The tusk is actually a tooth that grows from the upper jaw of male narwhals. Diet Narwhals consume squid, fish and shrimp. Population Narwhal population estimates indicate around 45,000-50,000 individuals. Range Narwhals are mostly found in the Atlantic and Russian waters of the Arctic. They have been known to travel around Greenland to eastern Russia. Behavior Narwhals generally move slowly, but are known to be remarkably quick when chased by predators. They prefer to stay near the surface of the ocean, but can dive up to 5,000 feet. Narwhals are migratory and move closer to the shore in the summer, while moving out to sea and living under packed ice in the winter months. Most narwhals travel in pods of 10-100 individuals and sometimes in much larger groups. They communicate with various sounds like squeals, trills and clicks. The males often cross tusks in a behavior known as ‘tusking’. This may be a form of dueling, friendly contact or cleaning the tooth. Reproduction Mating Season: March to May. Gestation: Up to 16 months. Litter Size: 1 calf. Females give birth every 3 years or so and can nurse their calves for over a year. Calves tend to be brown with no spots. Threats Narwhals are mostly hunted by polar bears and orcas. Native Inuit people are also allowed to hunt this whale legally. In addition, the narwhal’s habitat is threatened by the effects ofclimate change and pollution. Their small population size, limited range, and reliance on Arctic fish that are also being affected by climate-induced available food changes, make them extremely vulnerable. One recent study concluded that the narwhal might be even more sensitive to the impacts of climate change than the polar bear.