Title: 
Headings: What Is a Narwhal?
Wonder of the Day #489
What Is a Narwhal?
Have You Ever Wondered...
Tags:

Content: At one time, people believed they might be used to break ice or spear fish. Further study has shown, though, that they're most likely used in mating rituals to impress females or battle rival males. Narwhals feed on fish that swim deep under the Arctic ice. In fact, narwhals are known for making some of the deepest dives of any marine mammal. Narwhals have been known to dive to depths of over 2,500 feet over 15 times per day, with some dives reaching as deep as almost 5,000 feet! Today, they're still hunted legally by the Inuit peoples of Canada and Greenland. Known for their ability to use all parts of the narwhal, the Inuit peoples eat narwhal meat, harvest their tusks to use as tools, and even eat their skin, which is a good source of vitamin C.
The name narwhal comes from the Old Norse words nar ( corpse) and whal (whale). Narwhals were likely called “ corpse whales" because of their pale, mottled coloring that made them look like drowned sailors! In the Middle Ages, people believed narwhal tusks were unicorn horns with magical powers, such as the ability to render poison harmless. As a result, traders could sell narwhal tusks for many times their weight in gold.