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Narwhals
Narwhals, affectionately known as the 'unicorns of the sea,' are one of the most unique whale species on the plant. Their 10-foot long tusks really make them "stick out." How much do you know about these Arctic wonder-whales?
5 amazing facts about narwhals (Monodon monoceros):
- The narwhal's famous horn is actually one long tooth! The tooth, usually the left-front canine tooth, can get up to 10 feet long and may be used for mate selection, as a sensor in the water, and for hunting prey.
- Narwhals live in the icy-cold waters of the Arctic ocean. They're specially adapted for the cold and ice. Instead of a tall dorsal fins, narwhals have a short ridge on their backs, which scientists believe might be an adaptation to better swim under sheets of ice.
- Narwhals can hold their breath for over 25 minutes! As one of the deepest-diving whale species, narwhals need all the time they can get to dive, hunt, and return to the surface for air.
- SLURRPPP! While old stories suggested that narwhals impaled their food with their giant horn, we now know that doesn't happen in the wild. Actually, narwhals suck up their prey, including fish, like a vacuum!
- Narwhals live in pods of 10-20 whales. But, sometimes, they gather together in groups of thousands! No one really knows why. Talk about a party!
Click a spot to learn more about the narwhal:
The Unicorn of the Sea
Narwhals are famous for the incredibly lung tusks that grow out the front of their head. That's why they've been called the 'unicorns of the sea!' Narwhal tusks grow in a spiral and can get up to 10 feet long. While scientists are still figuring out what these long tusks are used for (some ideas include mate selection and as a 'sensor' of the water), narwhals have also been observed using them to hunt: narwhals will poke fish with their tusks in order to stun them before swimming closer to swallow them whole.
Someone Call the Dentist!
That long horn? It's actually a tooth! Narwhals have two canine teeth. But only one, usually the left one, grows to become the giant tusk we expect to see. Notice how the tusk doesn't actually come out of the center of the narwhal's head; it sticks out from one side (the left) because that's where the tooth started its growth.
Changing Colors
Narwhals aren’t just magical for their tusks—they’re color-changing wonders, too! Newborn narwhals start off a soft blue-gray color, shift to a deep blue-black as juveniles, and become mottled gray as adults. The oldest narwhals? They're almost entirely white!
Built for Arctic Waters
Narwhals spend most of their lives in icy Arctic waters. That's where they live, mate, and hunt, only occasionally venturing a little bit south for some relief from the icy north. Instead of a dorsal fin (think of the vertical fin you see as a shark swims towards you!), narwhals have a short bumpy ridge. Scientists believe that one of the reasons that narwhals have this ridge instead of a tall fin is so that they can swim more easily under big pieces of ice.
Now That's A Melon!
Like other toothed whales, such as dolphins and belugas, narwhals have a big 'melon' - that large mound that you see on the top-front of these whales' heads. The melon is a special and unique part of the narwhal's body. With it, narwhals can focus and channel different sounds. Scientists believe that the melon might help whales with communication and echolocation, the ability to bounce sound waves off of objects to figure out their location.
