Notes

Scientific name: Monodon monoceros
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Trophic level: Carnivorous
Mass: 2,100 lbs (Adult)
Higher classification: Monodon
Body length: 17 ft. (Adult)
~Males most commonly have tusks, and some may even have two. The tusk, which can grow as long as 10 feet, is actually an enlarged tooth~At birth, narwhals are approximately 1.5 m (5 ft.) in length~tusk has sensory capability, with up to 10 million nerve endings inside. The tusk may also play a role in the ways males exert dominance~

Vessels that support oil and gas development mean increased shipping in sensitive areas. Increased shipping means more noise that can mask communications for many Arctic marine species and it increases the potential for collisions with marine mammals, especially whales. It also brings more pollution and a greater possibility of oil or fuel spills

~Narwhals spend their lives in the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. The majority of the world’s narwhals winter for up to five months under the sea ice in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait area (between Canada and western Greenland). Cracks in the ice allow them to breathe when needed, especially after dives, which can be up to a mile and a half deep. They feed mainly on Greenland halibut, along with other fish, squid and shrimp~

~There are about 80,000 left in the wild~

~Its tough core and soft outer layer result in a tusk that is both strong and flexible. It can bend significantly without cracking, which is important for a tusk as long as the narwhal’s~it can weigh up to 4,200 pounds~