Narwhals

Narwhals Latest News

In a first, scientists have studied and captured footage of the iconic narwhals of the Arctic using their tusks to hunt. 

About Narwhals

• It is also known as a narwhale (Monodon monoceros), is a medium-sized toothed whale.
• It has a big horn-like tusk which gives them a very distinctive appearance.

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Features of 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.
• The tusk is, in fact, a tooth that grows out of the male’s upper jaw and has sensory capability and up to 10 million nerve endings inside.
• It is believed that the tusk plays a role in competition for mates, including mating displays.
• It uses tusks in the wild to investigate, manipulate and influence the behavior of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), including delivering sufficient force with their tusks to stun and possibly kill the fish.
• They exhibited remarkable dexterity, precision and speed of movement of the tusk, and regularly made adjustments to track the moving target. The tusk, especially the tip of the tusk, was used to interrogate and manipulate the target by brief contacts.
• Narwhals are polygynous and mating usually occurs from March to May.
• They give birth to a single calf and they are born tail first. The tusks of males do not grow until they are weaned when they are about one year old.
• Diet: Narwhals feed on Greenland halibut, Arctic and polar cod, squid and shrimp.
• Distribution of Narwhals: They spend their lives in the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia.
• Threats: Oil and gas development and climate change pose threats to narwhals.
• Conservation Status of Narwhals
  • IUCN: Near Threatened

Narwhals FAQs

Q1. Why are narwhals so rare?

Ans. Narwhals are threatened by climate change, the fishing industry, hunting, and contaminated environments.

Q2. Why are narwhals called unicorns of the sea?

Ans. In medieval times, narwhals were hunted for their tusks, and people would sell them as unicorn horns

Q3. What is the difference between a whale and a narwhal?

Ans. The narwhal is an odontocete or toothed whale, but is different from all other toothed whales in that it has no teeth in its mouth. 

Source: DTH