Title: Narwhal FAQ – Kristin Laidre
Headings: Narwhal FAQ
Narwhal FAQ
What is the narwhal tusk and what is it used for?
What do narwhals look like?
Where does the word ‘narwhal’ come from?
What are the reproductive patterns of narwhals?
How long do narwhals live?
How many narwhals are there in the world? Is it all one population?
Do narwhals travel in pods and how big are pods?
How do you figure out where narwhals go and what they do underwater?
Do narwhals migrate and what is their seasonal cycle?
How deep do narwhals dive?
How do narwhals make such deep dives?
Why do they make deep dives?
How do you know what narwhals eat if you can’t see them underwater?
Do narwhals like sea ice?
What is an ice entrapment?
Do narwhals make noises?
Do research collaborations involve native communities?
Why is the narwhal important to native communities?
Why is it important to study narwhals?
What threats are currently facing narwhals?
Can narwhals survive climate change?
Where can I find references for all of the above?
Other useful links to narwhal information

Content: Very rarely, a female will grow a tusk, or a narwhal will grow two tusks. Tusks exported from the Arctic, perhaps by the Vikings, reached Europe, the Mediterranean, and even the Far East as early as the Middle Ages and became the source of the unicorn myth. The tusks were sold without a good description of the animal from which they came and inspired a great deal of fantasy. To some extent, the tusks still inspire fantasies, as many explanations have been proposed for the purpose of the tusk, including: breaking ice, swordfighting, spearing fish for food, or for digging in the bottom the sea. In fact, none of these behaviors have ever been observed. One thing that is clear, is that the tusk can not serve a critical function for narwhals’ survival because females, who do not have tusks, still manage to live longer than males and occur in the same areas while additionally being responsible for reproduction and calf rearing. The scientific consensus is that the narwhal tusk is a sexual trait, much like the antlers of a stag, the mane of a lion or the feathers of a peacock. Males use the tusk to determine social rank and compete for females. During the summertime in the northern Canadian high Arctic bays and fjords (long narrow inlets), male narwhals can be seen carefully crossing their tusks and making a strange, sad whistle.