The narwhal is a small toothed whale that lives in Arctic coastal waters and rivers. Its distinctive feature is a long tusk protruding forward above the mouth. Because of him, the narwhal received the nickname “unicorn of the sea.”
Narwhals and beluga whales are close relatives, together making up the family Monodontidae (narwhals) of the suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales). The name "narwhal" comes from the Old Norse words "nar" (corpse) and "hvalr" (whale). “Corpse” refers to the mottled gray coloration of the narwhal, reminiscent of the skin color of drowned sailors. The animal's scientific name, Monodon monoceros, comes from the Greek words meaning “one-toothed” and “one-horned,” respectively.
Appearance
Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the narwhal is the presence of a “tusk” that can grow up to 3 meters in length. The tusk is actually a massive fang protruding from the narwhal's upper left lip. Tusks grow mainly in males. Narwhals have only two teeth; As a rule, the left tooth erupts, but the right tooth remains undeveloped. In most females both teeth remain vestigial, however in rare cases both sexes may develop both canines. If both canines are present, the left one is always larger. All tusks are twisted in a counterclockwise spiral and have a polished end.
Photo: www.arctickingdom.com
Although many theories have been put forward regarding the primary function of the narwhal's tusk, recent observations suggest that the males use their enormous tusk to hunt fish and sense the salt level of the water in which they swim. Previously, reputable scientists, including the English naturalist Charles Darwin, believed that males use their fangs when fighting for females.
Narwhals also have three more unique physical characteristics:
- absence of a dorsal fin. Instead of a dorsal fin, narwhals have a dorsal crest. The dorsal ridge and the notches on it are unique and can be used to identify individuals.
- articulated neck. Unlike most other whales and dolphins, the narwhal has an articulated neck, rather than a rigid or fused neck. This means that the animal can move its head separately from its body.
- changes in body color with age. Narwhals are white or light gray at birth. As these toothed whales mature, the colors begin to turn darker, creating a mottled pattern. The young are bluish-black in color. Adults have a dark, spotted back and a cream-colored ventral region. As they age, they become lighter again; very old individuals become almost completely white.
Narwhal: description
This unique sea creature belongs to the narwhal family and is the only species of its genus. The beluga whale also belongs to the narwhal family, which is characterized by similar characteristics.
Appearance
The narwhal is similar to the beluga whale not only in size and body shape, but also in the fact that they lack a dorsal fin. At the same time, their pectoral fins are almost identical, as are the calves that are born, although beluga whale calves become almost white over time. Adult narwhals grow up to 4 and a half meters in length and weigh up to 3 tons, although experts are confident that there are individuals with a body length of up to 6 meters.
30 percent of the weight of this whale is fat, which protects the whale from the icy cold, while the thickness of the fat layer is at least 10 centimeters. The narwhal has a relatively small head and a weakly defined neck. The head is slightly blunt, but at the same time has a round outline, due to the presence of a special spermaceti cushion placed above the upper jaw. The narwhal's mouth is also relatively small, with the upper lip literally hanging over the lower lip, covering it completely. The narwhal's lower jaw has no teeth.
It is important to know! On the narwhal's upper jaw there is a pair of teeth that are in their infancy. If not for this fact, the narwhal could be considered a completely toothless sea creature. It should be noted that one of the teeth forms a long tusk, the length of which reaches almost 3 meters, while the tusk has the shape of a spiral.
Despite its impressive appearance and weight (almost 10 kg), the tusk is quite strong and flexible. The end of the tusk can bend up to 0.3 meters without breaking. Yet, the tusks break and never grow back, and the tooth canals are sealed with bone fillings. As such, there is no dorsal fin, but in the back area there is a leathery fold, almost a meter long and 5 centimeters high, which serves as the dorsal fin. The narwhal's pectoral fins are short but wide.
Adult narwhals have a spotted coloration, which distinguishes them from their closest relatives, beluga whales. Despite the general light color of the body, dark spots of various shapes up to 5 cm in size are scattered throughout it. These spots can merge into a single color, which is typical for such parts of the body as the head, neck and tail area. As for young individuals, their color is almost uniform and is made in bluish-gray, black-gray or slate tones.
Narwhals (lat. Monodon monoceros)
Character and lifestyle
Narwhals prefer a school lifestyle, which indicates the social orientation of their lifestyle. The most numerous groups of narwhals are formed from sexually mature experienced males, females and young individuals. Small groups may include females and their offspring, or groups may consist exclusively of mature males. Not so long ago, these sea creatures plied the cold waters of the Arctic in groups including thousands of individuals, but now groups numbering hundreds of individuals are rarely found.
Interesting to know! In summer, narwhals, compared to beluga whales, prefer to be in the depths, and in winter, their favorite habitats are associated with areas not covered with ice. When the ice holes begin to freeze, the males break the ice using their tusks and strong bodies. This is how they manage to get rid of an ice crust up to 5 centimeters thick.
If you look at fast-moving narwhals, the visual effect is obvious, as they carry out complex maneuvers without falling behind each other. Even when resting, there is plenty to see as narwhals rest by lying on the surface of the water with their tusks pointing upward or horizontally. The narwhal's habitat is associated with cold waters bordering the Arctic ice. Their seasonal migrations are associated with the movements of floating ice.
With the onset of real winter cold, the whales move somewhat south, and with the onset of summer they return. The boundary of polar waters is at a level of 70 degrees, beyond which narwhals swim, but quite rarely, especially in winter. From time to time, males, according to experts, clean their tusks from various foreign growths, crossing their tusks, as if in duels. Narwhals have a fairly diverse set of different sounds that they use when communicating with each other, and these whales communicate with great pleasure.
How long does a narwhal live?
Experts believe that narwhals, living in such harsh climatic conditions, live for at least half a century. As for habitat in captivity, this species does not take root. There is information that the captured narwhal did not live in captivity for even six months. This fact indicates that man, for some reason, cannot create conditions close to natural ones.
Sexual dimorphism
First of all, adult males differ from adult females in that they are larger in size and weight. Females on average gain weight of about 0.9 tons, while males are 3 times more massive. The most basic difference is observed in the structure of the teeth. As a rule, females do not grow tusks, although there are individuals even with two tusks.
Interesting moment! The right of the narwhal's two teeth rarely forms a tusk. Basically, this fact occurs in one individual out of five hundred. Moreover, a long tusk can also grow on a female, and hunters have encountered females with two tusks.
As a rule, scientists believe that the presence of tusks in individuals is a secondary sign of gender. Unfortunately, they are still arguing about the purpose of such long tusks. Some experts suggest that males use their tusks during mating season to demonstrate their strength, thus attracting females.
Another part of the experts is inclined to believe that the narwhal needs tusks in order to:
- Stabilize your body position during movement.
- Break the ice to provide yourself and the rest of the group with oxygen.
- The hunting process turned out to be more effective, as evidenced by underwater photography.
- Protect yourself and your group from predatory sea creatures, which is more likely.
In 2005, scientists discovered that the narwhal's tusk represents one of the sense organs. When it was examined under a microscope, it was discovered that it was literally riddled with millions of grooves with nerve endings. In connection with this fact, experts supported the hypothesis that the narwhal’s tusk not only determines the temperature of the water, but also determines its chemical composition, and also performs a number of quite important functions for normal life.
Where do narwhals live?
The natural environment of narwhals is the North Atlantic, Chukchi, Kara and Barents seas, which are part of the Arctic Ocean basin. These strange sea creatures can be found off the coast of Greenland, near the Canadian Archipelago and Spitsbergen, including in the waters bordering the northern coast of Novaya Zemlya, as well as the coast of Franz Josef Land.
Narwhals are the northernmost cetaceans, as their habitat is between 70 and 80 degrees north latitude. In summer, their habitat is even further north, covering 85 degrees, and in winter, these cetaceans can be observed near the coast of the Netherlands and Great Britain, near Bering Island, in the White Sea and near the Murmansk coast.
Narwhals prefer to live in the vast Arctic, staying within ice-free waters even in the most severe frosts. Ice-free water areas are located in the same points in the Arctic every year, so some of them have their own names. For example, the Great Siberian Polynya, which is located within the New Siberian Islands. Similar ice-free water areas exist near Taimyr, near Franz Josef Land, and also near Novaya Zemlya.
Interesting to know! A chain consisting of areas of non-freezing water that connects similar polynyas is called the Arctic Ring of Life. It is this ring of life that represents the traditional habitats of narwhals.
As a rule, narwhals carry out seasonal migrations associated with seasonal ice movement. In general, these cetaceans live in a very limited habitat due to the characteristics of their habitat. They are poorly adapted to warmer living conditions, so they prefer to be at depth or near loose ice, or rather ice floes. Currently, the most numerous groups of narwhals live in Davis Strait, the Greenland Sea and the Baffin Sea. Despite this, the largest population of narwhals was recorded in the northwestern waters of Greenland, as well as in the eastern Canadian Arctic.
What does a narwhal eat?
In searching for food, the narwhal is helped by its tusk, with which it scares the fish that are hiding at the bottom.
The narwhal's diet consists of a wide variety of marine life, such as:
- Squids and other cephalopods.
- All kinds of crustaceans.
- Salmonids.
- cod,
- Herring.
- Flounder and halibut.
- Stingrays and gobies.
The narwhal can stay underwater for a long time, descending to a kilometer depth, where it finds food.
Reproduction and offspring
Since the habitat of narwhals is associated with difficult living conditions, their reproductive characteristics have not been fully studied. According to experts, females have offspring at least once every three years. The mating season begins in March and lasts until May. After fertilization, the female bears the offspring for almost a year and a half, so narwhal cubs are born only in July-August of the next year.
Basically, the female gives birth to one baby, although there are cases when twins are born. The cubs weigh almost 80 kilograms, with a body length of more than one and a half meters. It should be noted that newborns already have thermal protection, in the form of a fat layer, two and a half centimeters in size. The mother feeds her cubs with milk for 20 months. Young individuals become sexually mature animals at the age of 4 to 7 years, depending on their gender. By this period, males grow up to 4.7 meters in length, gaining a weight of almost one and a half tons, and females grow up to 4 meters in length, gaining weight up to 0.9 tons.
Natural enemies
Due to the specific habitat conditions, as well as their considerable size, narwhals do not have many natural enemies. Only an adult killer whale or an adult polar bear can handle an adult narwhal. Young narwhals can become lunch for arctic sharks. It should be noted that narwhals also have other, less noticeable enemies, in the form of various parasites, nematodes, and lice. Man has also done quite a lot for narwhals, killing these cetaceans for their tusks, which supposedly have miraculous healing properties.
Interesting moment! Our ancestors made powder from narwhal tusks, which they believed would relieve a person from various diseases.
Historical data shows that at one time narwhal tusks were valued more than gold, and therefore were available only to rich people. Elizabeth I of England bought a whole tusk, paying crazy money for those times - 10 thousand pounds. The tusk was used by courtiers to determine the presence of poison in the dishes served.
Size
Adult narwhals range from 4 to 5 meters in length and weigh from 900 to 1,600 kg, with males being larger than females. Newborn cubs reach 1.5 meters in length and usually weigh about 80 kg. A typical narwhal has 30-35% of its weight in fat. This layer of fat, 50 to 100 mm thick, is essential for survival in cold Arctic waters. Narwhals can also be identified by their fins, which are smaller than those of most other cetaceans and have a distinctive upward-curved tip.
Photo: Wildestanimal/Getty Images
Migration Features
Narwhals live most of the year in cracks in dense pack ice in the Greenland and Canadian Arctic. Like most whales, narwhals have a predictable migration pattern, however, unlike some species, they never leave Arctic waters. Narwhals make annual migrations from high Arctic summer areas in the coastal bays of Western Greenland and Canada to coastal wintering areas with deeper waters to avoid ice traps and stay close to easily accessible food sources.
Geographic range
Narwhals are found in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. They are considered the most northern cetaceans. Narwhals can usually be found in areas between 70° and 80° north latitude. Large populations occur in northeastern Canada, Greenland and northern Russia to the East Siberian Sea. They are rarely seen on the surface, so it is likely that they are found in other places.
This is a migratory species of toothed whale. During the summer, narwhals are found in the northern Canadian Arctic, off the east coast of Greenland. In late September, most individuals begin migrating south to their winter homes in Baffin Bay. The onset of ice freezing or melting around narwhals appears to signal the need for them to migrate.
Habitat
The narwhal lives primarily in open, deep Arctic waters. He spends time at different water depths; When hunting, narwhals tend to dive deeper and spend more time underwater. They dive to depths of up to 1,500 meters while feeding, remaining underwater for up to 25 minutes. These are some of the deepest dives ever recorded by any mammal. Narwhals are capable of repeating such dives up to 15 times a day.
However, during migration, narwhals usually dive to shallower depths, but more often. Narwhals are known to swim up to 160 km per day during migration. On average it is about 6.5 km per hour. It is noteworthy that both summer and winter narwhal locations contain deep fjords.
Communication and perception
Narwhals communicate acoustically. This species of toothed whale is capable of producing two different types of sounds:
- pulse. This type of signal typically ranges from 12 to 20 kHz. As the name suggests, it is a short, rapid sound or click. They are used by narwhals as a kind of echolocation, allowing them to effectively detect and catch prey. This type of sound is also used for spatial orientation and likely helps narwhals stay together during migration.
- whistling. Unlike a pulsed sound, a whistle is a longer signal with varying frequencies that is probably used primarily for communication. These sounds range from 300 Hz to 10 kHz.
When studying the tusk of a narwhal, about ten million nerve endings were discovered. This leads researchers to believe that the tusks have a sensory function. In 2014, scientists at Harvard Medical School found that the narwhal's heart rate increased and decreased when the tusk was exposed to high or low concentrations of salt in ocean water.
Origin of the species and description
Photo: Narwhal
Narwhals are mammals belonging to the family and genus Narwhalidae - the only representatives of their genus. Narwhals are cetaceans - mammals that have been able to fully adapt to life in water.
It is difficult to establish the origin of narwhals, since their ancestors have not been found that would have a similar tusk, which grows from the head of narwhals. The closest relatives of narwhals are belugas; they have the same constitutional structure, with the exception of the structure of the oral cavity.
Video: Narwhal
Cetaceans have many similarities with artiodactyls. According to their genetic code, they are close to hippopotamuses, so it can be concluded that the ancient ancestors of narwhals were Mesonychia mammals. These animals were similar to wolves, but had paired hooves.
Mesonychia lived near the coasts and ate fish, crustaceans and mollusks. This diet forced the animals to often go into the water or live in swamps. Their bodies changed to suit the aquatic lifestyle - a streamlined body shape and compacted tails were formed. The nostrils of all cetaceans are located on the back - they perform exactly the same functions as the nose of land animals.
Interesting fact: The narwhal tusk is an amazing evolutionary phenomenon. When scientists reliably understand why these animals need it, many questions about the origin of the narwhal will be closed.
Why the narwhal does not have a dorsal fin is also an open question. Probably, due to the northern habitat, the fin was reduced - it was inconvenient when swimming on the surface, near a layer of ice. The fins of cetaceans have a fairly fragile structure, so narwhals could simply break them often on thick ice.
Eating habits
A study of the stomach contents of narwhals showed that their diet is very limited and varies depending on the season. The first thing to note about narwhals' diet is that they do not feed during the summer. Examination of the narwhal's stomach contents during three other seasons showed that the animal had recently ingested food, but no dietary fiber was found in the stomach during the summer months.
In winter, narwhals remain in shallow areas of bays, where they feed almost exclusively on bottom-dwelling fish. During the Arctic summer they move into open ocean waters, so their diet expands to include other fish species such as cod and halibut, as well as squid and shrimp. In spring, the narwhal feeds mainly on arctic cod and cod. Crustaceans were also found in their stomachs, but fish and cephalopods were much more common.
Because narwhals do not have well-developed teeth in their mouths, they are thought to suck in prey and swallow it whole.
Behavior
The narwhal is a social animal and is usually found in schools of six to twenty individuals, although most groups tend to number between three and eight individuals. Smaller groups usually gather during the migration season to form a flock of hundreds or even thousands of individuals.
Narwhals remain in close proximity to the ice throughout the year. There are various hypotheses about the main functions of the tusk. Perhaps males use it for competition. It can also be used to obtain food. Since most females do not have a tusk, the most likely assumption is that these are secondary sexual characteristics.
Reproduction and development
Photo: dottedhippo/Getty Images
Male narwhals become sexually mature at approximately 8-9 years of age, while females reach maturity much earlier, at approximately 4-7 years of age. The mating season lasts from March to May. It is assumed that females choose a mate based on their tusk.
After fertilization, pregnancy lasts about 14 months, meaning the female gives birth only in June of the following year. She bears one cub at a time; twins are very rare. Narwhal babies are born tail first and begin swimming shortly after birth. Over the next 20 months, the young will be fed on their mother's rich milk. It is because of the long lactation period that female narwhals give birth on average once every three years.
Lifespan
In the past, the lifespan of narwhals was estimated by counting the growth rings on unerupted teeth. However, the technique was later found to be inaccurate. It is generally accepted that narwhals live in the wild for about 50 years. They are among the longest-living marine mammals, despite spending their lives in some of the most dangerous environmental conditions on Earth.
In captivity, narwhals live from one to four months. Not a single capture was successful. Keeping these elusive whales in aquariums and zoos has led to tragic deaths.
Interesting facts about the animal
Let's learn interesting facts about the sea unicorn:
- Since the 12th century, traders have sold the animal's tusks, passing them off as alicorns - the horns of the mythical unicorn. They were worth more than gold.
- The lifespan of a mammal in captivity is no more than 6 months.
- Thanks to thousands of nerve endings on the tusk, the animal is able to detect water pressure and temperature.
- A narwhal tusk is a modified tooth containing nerves. This part of the body is used as a receptor. Females have tusks that are not as large as those of the opposite sex.
- The narwhal uses its horn to force fish to the surface from the bottom.
- There are known cases of sea unicorns attacking whales. Most likely this was an accidental collision.
- The mammal does not have a fin on its back.
- A third of the animal’s total mass is fat, reaching a thickness of 10 cm.
- The narwhal will not be able to live in warm water.
- The largest tusk is 3 m long. It weighs about 10 kg.
- If the horn breaks, it will never grow back and will be sealed with a bone filling.
- According to an old belief, a piece of narwhal tusk in a glass of poisoned drink can change its color.
- Individuals are very talkative among themselves.
Freedom-loving narwhals do not tolerate captivity, so it is better to protect these amazing animals from a distance.
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Do narwhals have natural enemies?
Narwhals have been found in the stomachs of Greenland sharks and walruses. Younger individuals become prey to polar bears, who wait for them near holes in the ice. Narwhals are also attacked by killer whales. Sometimes hundreds of narwhals and beluga whales become trapped by pack ice in a pool of open water.
Photo: ALAMY
Narwhals typically travel in small pods, and when pursued by a predator, they will move closer together and form a tighter group. Another defense mechanism of narwhals is their coloration, which acts as camouflage. The lighter belly helps them blend into the sky when looking up at them, while the darker mottled color on their back blends in with the ocean depths when looking down at narwhals.
Narwhal tusks are highly prized, which is why people hunt adult males. This is thought to explain why adult males tend to stay further offshore and spend less time on the surface than juveniles and females.
In the thickness of the icy water
Narwhals are social marine mammals that live in groups of 15-20 individuals. In summer they prefer deep waters, and in winter they prefer ice breaks. If the ice holes freeze, they use their tusks to make holes through which all members of the herd gain access to air.
The narwhal's diet is based on deep-sea fish: polar cod, red snapper, halibut, flounder, cod, and cephalopods. With the help of their tusks, they lift the soil and thus discover bottom representatives of marine fauna (rays, gobies, etc.).
Meaning to people
Narwhals have traditionally been an important resource for the people of Greenland and Canada. Fat and oil were used by the Eskimos for lighting, heating and cooking. Narwhal skin, called "muktuk" by the natives, is an important part of their diet as it is rich in vitamin C. Narwhal sinews were traditionally used as thread. Their meat can be consumed by humans, but more often it is used as dog food. Narwhal tusks were originally used as spear or harpoon points, but later they proved much more useful for trade.
Photo: Paul Nicklen
In the northern parts of Greenland, many people still live the traditional Eskimo life, so the narwhal is still a very important resource for them. This lifestyle is also making a comeback in Canada, where using service dogs is more economical than snowmobiles.
How many narwhals are there today?
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the global population of narwhals numbers approximately 123,000 adults. Narwhals are currently listed as "least concern". Although they are not currently in danger of extinction, without fisheries controls they could be at risk of extinction. The narwhal population is also declining as a result of shipping. The route of ships often intersects the migration of these toothed whales, which leads to the death of some individuals.
Climate change is also a threat to narwhals. Like most Arctic predators, narwhals rely heavily on sea ice for their survival. They use it to hide from predators and catch prey. Rising sea temperatures have led to declines in narwhal populations in Southeast Greenland.
The European Union recently banned the sale of narwhal tusks in hopes of reducing the number of animals killed by humans for their tusks.
Why is the narwhal the ancestor of the unicorn myth?
Many centuries ago, these animals were the main prey of the northern peoples. Fishermen sold the tusks to traders from Europe and Asia at the most modest prices. And they, in turn, put them up for sale in their homeland, asking unimaginable money for the goods. Traders told naive buyers that these were not whale tusks, but real horns of unicorns - fairy-tale creatures from distant lands. This is how the first myths and legends about these extraordinary horses appeared.
Narwhals are one of the most amazing creatures on Earth. Now one of the main tasks of humanity is the preservation of these animals as a species. A more careful attitude towards them will increase their survival rate, and hence the birth rate.
