Whales - Species | Narwhal Whale

Narwhal Whale - Monodon monoceros

The Narwhal Whale is known to live up to 50 years and is a social whale, travelling in groups of up to 20 individuals. Usually, however, pods are made up of about 5 sex-specific whales; i.e. all male or all female. During the migration season, several of these pods combine to form a large herd of Narwhal Whales.

This species of whale does not have any significantly functional teeth and, therefore, favours squid, fish, crustaceans and mollusks. It uncovers these food sources by sucking and blowing water onto the floor of the ocean. Its flexible neck allows a wider movement when scanning for food.

The average Narwhal Whale reaches between 3.6m and 6.2m in length, with males weighing about 1600kg and females 900kg. Approximate 33% of this weight is made up of valuable blubber, which insulates the whale and assists in buoyancy. Narwhal Whales have a small head and a blunt snout. They do not have a dorsal fin, but pectoral fins measure about 350mm from tip to tip. The tail’s width can reach up to 1.2m and is convex in shape, as opposed o the more common concave. In place of a dorsal fin, the Narwhal sports a 50mm high ridge that extends for between 600mm and 900mm. Colouration on the adult whale is light grey or light brown on the back with a white belly. Some specimens have spotty patterns over their bodies.

The Narwhal Whale only has two teeth in its top jaw. The left tooth of the males continues to grow into a tusk-like protrusion. This tusk has earned this whale the name “unicorn of the sea”, and is usually 30% to 50% the total length of the body. On very rare occasion, the tooth on the right also grows into this tusk. Together, these teeth twist in a counter-clockwise direction and form a spiraled horn. Whether one tooth or two, these tusks are made up of a cement-like outer layer, a layer of dentine (similar to the human tooth) and a pulp cavity that is well-supplied by blood vessels and holds the tooth in position. The dentine repairs broken or cracked tusks. This unique appendage is thought to be used in combat, to spear food or stir up the sand at the bottom of the ocean, as it has sensory nerves and is able to detect changes in temperatures, pressure and even salinity.

The vast body of the Narwhal Whale is also home to several types of whale lice and nematodes. It lives in the Arctic waters and, rarely, in Siberia, Alaska, and the western Canadian Arctic. This species prefers loose pack ice and deep water. They migrate to ensure that they remain in these conditions.

The Narwhal Whale breeds between March and May, and gestation lasts for about 15 months. Infants nurse for 20 months and are usually born one at a time. Calves usually measure about 1.6m at birth, and are born with about 25mm of blubber. The current population is estimated to be between 25 000 and 45 000.

Unfortunately, the Narwhal Whale continues to be hunted for its skin, tusks, meat and oil in Canada and Greenland. The Inuits eat its skin as a traditional meal, raw with a thin layer of fat.