Title: Narwhal Facts: The Fascinating Unicorn Whale of the Arctic - Owlcation
Headings: Narwhal Facts: The Fascinating Unicorn Whale of the Arctic
Narwhal Facts: The Fascinating Unicorn Whale of the Arctic
A pod of narwhals
An Unusual and Intriguing Whale
Range and Habitat
Physical Features of the Animal
Length and Weight
Colour and Pattern
Tusks
Dorsal Ridge and Blubber
Upper and lower surfaces of a male narwhal
Breathing Mechanism
Narwhals on the north coast of Baffin Island
Echolocation
Function of Narwhal Tusks
Narwhal Tusks as Sense Organs
Another Possible Function of the Tusk
The Life of a Narwhal
The Pod
Diet
Vocalizations
This male narwhal was captured, satellite-tagged and then released.
Diving Feats
Adaptations for Diving
Reproduction
Predators
Population Status and Threats
IUCN Status
Climate Change
Mercury Absorption
Ice Entrapment
A narwhal skull with two tusks
The Future for Narwhals
References
Questions & Answers
© 2012 Linda Crampton
Comments

Content: The narwhal's tusk is sensitive to temperature and pressure changes as well as chemicals. Narwhals come together to rub their tusks against those of other whales, a process known as "tusking". The whales are presumably detecting sensations from the contact. The rubbing may also remove algae and other deposits from the tusks. In earlier times, Viking traders sold narwhal tusk as unicorn horn. People buying this "unicorn horn" believed that it had magical properties and were prepared to pay large sums of money to obtain it. It was a prized possession and was thought to cure disease and neutralize poisons. Another Possible Function of the Tusk
In 2017, Canadian scientists obtained an amazing video of narwhals captured by a drone. The whales were travelling through a school of cod. As can be seen in the video below, the whale periodically jerks its tusk from side to side or up and down as it swims through the fish school.