Title: Polar Science Center » Narwhal FAQ
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: Polar Science Center » Narwhal FAQ
Polar Science Center
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Narwhal FAQ
Narwhal FAQ
I have received many good questions from the public, students, and the press about narwhals. In the interest of making the information available to everyone, I have developed this “Narwhal FAQ” page. Hopefully you find the answer to your question below. What is the narwhal tusk and what is it used for? The narwhal is an odontocete or toothed whale, but unlike all other toothed whales it has no teeth in its mouth. Instead, the male develops a long straight tooth (or tusk) that protrudes 2-3 m out of the upper left jaw. The tooth grows in a counterclockwise spiral. The tusk is unique to male narwhals. 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.