Title: Narwhal Animal Facts - Unicorn of the Sea
Headings: Facts About Narwhals, the Unicorns of the Sea
Facts About Narwhals, the Unicorns of the Sea
Unicorns Really Do Exist
Fast Facts: Narwhal
The Unicorn Horn
Description
Behavior
Lifespan and Conservation Status
References

Content: About 1 in 500 males has two tusks, with the other tusk formed from the right canine tooth. Around 15% of females have a tusk. Female tusks are smaller than those of males and not as spiralized. There is one recorded case of a female having two tusks. Initially, scientists speculated the male tusk might be involved in male sparring behavior, but the current hypothesis is that tusks are rubbed together to communicate information about the ocean environment. The tusk is rich with patent nerve endings, allowing the whale to perceive information about the seawater. The whale's other teeth are vestigial, making the whale essentially toothless. It is considered a toothed whale because it does not have baleen plates . Description
The narwhal and beluga are the "white whales". Both are medium-size, with a length from 3.9 to 5.5 m (13 to 18 ft), not counting the male's tusk.