Narwhal (Monodon monoceros)

description of the animal

Appearance

The narwhal is a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia. The male narwhal's tusk, which can grow up to 10 feet long, is actually an elongated upper left canine.

Distribution

Narwhals are found in the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. They are most commonly seen in the fjords and inlets of the northern Canadian and Greenlandic coasts.

Habitat

Narwhals spend their lives in the Arctic waters of the Atlantic and Russian oceans. They are particularly associated with the ice floes of the Arctic basin and the continental shelf of the East Arctic and West Greenland.

Behavior

Narwhals are social creatures and often found in groups. They communicate with clicks, whistles, and knocks. Narwhals can dive to depths of up to 1,500 meters in search of food.

Diet

They primarily feed on fish, squid, and shrimp. They are known to dive deep in the ocean to find their prey.

Reproduction

Females give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of around 14 months. Calves are nursed for over a year.

Threats

Narwhals face threats from climate change, which affects their Arctic habitat, and from hunting. They are also at risk from increased shipping traffic and oil and gas development in the Arctic.

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