Throughout my posts, I have mentioned several marine species who are facing extinction or are severely threatened. However, none are quite as unique as the mysterious narwhal. These interesting creatures reside in the Arctic waters near Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. The narwhals most recognizable feature are their long, spiraled tusks which protrude from their heads. Due to this unique feature, people often refer to narwhals as the unicorns of the sea. 

The special tusk is actually one of the two teeth narwhals have within their mouths which continues to grow throughout their life and eventually pierces through their upper lip. Growing up to 10 feet long, this elongated tooth is primarily a feature for the male narwhals, however, approximately 15% of female narwhals also develop a tusk. Researchers have also discovered that the swordlike tooth has sensory capabilities and over 10 million nerve endings, which may allow the narwhals to use their tusk to feel or taste! The tusks can even sense changes in the salt levels within the ocean waters. It is also possible for a narwhal to grow a double tusk, where both of their teeth continuously grow into long, sharp tusks. For the past several years, marine researchers have tried to determine the overall function of the narwhal tusk. Many people believed they used their tusk as a hunting mechanism to spear and kill the fish they hunt, however, this does not make logical sense since the species does not have additional appendages to retrieve the prey they caught from their tusk. Though, recently it is hypothesized that the tusks are used for mating purposes and allow male narwhals to exert their dominance among others. 

The largest threat the narwhals face is climate change. Especially in the Arctic Seas, the effects of climate change are increasingly brutal. Similarly to many species that reside in the Arctic ecosystems, a narwhal’s life revolves around the sea ice. They use the ice as a lifeline where they can feed and take refuge. Though they are high on the food chain, killer whales and polar bears are known predators to the narwhals and the sea ice helps protect them from being hunted. Unfortunately, global warming is causing the polar sea ice to shrink and constantly change locations at rates that narwhals cannot adapt to, which puts them in situations of extreme danger. Aside from the effects of climate change, narwhals use echolocation as their main source of communication, therefore, they are directly impacted by noise pollution, which I discussed in last week’s post. Overall, narwhals are an extraordinary species that are unlike any other ocean creature. Though threatened, many organizations, such as the World Wildlife Fund and the International Whaling Commission, are working hard to protect these species from endangerment.