A medium-sized Arctic whale famous for the male's spiral tusk (modified tooth). Tusks up to 10 ft long. Among the most distinctive marine mammals.

Also called: Tuugaalik (Inuktitut)

Native status: Native; Arctic; vulnerable to climate change

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 4–5.5 m (13–18 ft); males slightly larger
Weight800–1,600 kg (1,800–3,500 lb)
LifespanWild 50+ years; some over 100
OrderCetacea
FamilyMonodontidae

§ Encyclopedia

The narwhal is a species of toothed whale native to the Arctic. It is the only member of the genus Monodon and one of two living representatives of the family Monodontidae. The narwhal is a stocky cetacean with a relatively blunt snout, a large melon, and a shallow ridge in place of a dorsal fin. Males of this species have a spiralled tusk that is 1.5–3.0 m (4.9–9.8 ft) long, which is a protruding left canine thought to function as a weapon, a tool for feeding, in attracting mates or sensing water salinity. Specially adapted slow-twitch muscles, along with the jointed neck vertebrae and shallow dorsal ridge allow for easy movement through the Arctic environment, where the narwhal spends extended periods at great depths. The narwhal's geographic range overlaps with that of the similarly built and closely related beluga whale, and the animals are known to interbreed.

Source: Wikipedia — Narwhal Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Medium cetacean: mottled gray skin (white when young, darkening with age); no dorsal fin; long tusk in adult males.

Similar species. Beluga Whale (no tusk, all white as adult). No other Arctic cetacean has a tusk.

Voice. Clicks, whistles, knocks for echolocation and communication.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Greenland halibut, Arctic and polar cod, squid, shrimp. Suction-feeds at depths to 1,500+ m beneath sea ice.

Behavior. The "unicorn of the sea." Male tusk is a modified upper-left canine tooth that grows through the lip in a left-handed spiral, reaching 3 m. Recent research shows the tusk is packed with millions of nerve endings — likely a sensory organ for water temperature, pressure, and salinity. Tusks may also serve in male-male competition. Lives entirely in Arctic seas; migrates with sea ice.

§ Range

Arctic seas

§ Habitat

Arctic seas, especially around Canada and Greenland

§ Threats

Climate-driven sea ice loss, marine pollution.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the narwhal is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • NOAA Fisheries Alaska Region
  • Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Narwhal Tusk Discoveries
  • IUCN Red List 2017