What is a narwhal? Meet this strange arctic whale...

2. Narwhal
Monodon Monoceros
The Narwhal is a rarely seen Arctic
whale.
This social whale is known for the
VERY long tooth that males have.
Very little is known about this whale.

3. The Tooth
All narwhals have two teeth in their
upper jaw.
After the first year of a male
narwhal's life, its left tooth grows
outward, spirally.

4. This long, single tooth projects
from its upper jaw and can grow
to be 7-10 feet (2-3 m) long.

6. Tusks are usually twisted in a
counterclockwise direction
and have a hollow interior.

8. The tusk's function is uncertain,
perhaps used as a formidable
jousting weapon in courtship and
dominance rivalry, in obtaining
food, and/or for channeling and
amplifying sonar pulses (which
they emit).
The tusk is not used in hunting.

11. Long ago, narwhal sightings reinforced
(or started) the unicorn legends.

13. Habitat
Narwhals live in the icy waters of the
Arctic seas. They rarely stray far from ice.

14. Narwhal means "corpse whale" in
Old Norse.
This is perhaps a description of
their skin, which is bluish-gray with
white spots (young narwhals are
brown).

16. Narwhals have a cylindrical body
(with no dorsal fin) and a round
head with a small mouth on their
blunt snout.
This compact body shape plus a
thick layer of blubber retains heat
in the icy Arctic waters in which
they live.