© Eric Baccega / naturepl.com / WWF
Narwhals
The narwhal looks like a cross between a whale and a unicorn with its long, spiraled tusk jutting from its head. 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. Ongoing research by WWF collaborators indicates that the 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.
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.
Narwhal facts
- Status View status categories and descriptions
- Least concern
- Population
- About 80,000
- Scientific name
- Monodon monoceros
- Weight
- About 4,200 lbs.
- Length
- About 17 ft.
- Habitats
- Oceans
Why narwhals matter
© naturepl.com /Doug Allan / WWF-Canon
Whales, like narwhals, are at the top of the food chain and have an important role in the overall health of the marine environment. Narwhals are also culturally important to indigenous communities in the Arctic. Like polar bears, the narwhal depends on sea ice for its existence and can be directly impacted by climate change.
Threats to narwhals
© naturepl.com /Doug Allan / WWF-Canon
Climate change
Thousands of years of evolution have prepared Arctic species like the polar bear, walrus, and narwhal for life on and around the sea ice. Because of climate change, the ice cover has been changing rapidly, in both extent and thickness, and shrinking far too quickly for these species to adapt. A narwhal’s entire life is connected to sea ice, both as a place to feed and a place to take refuge. Slow-swimming whales rely on sea ice as a place to hide from predators like killer whales.
Oil and gas development
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.
Ocean noise
Shipping, industrial extraction, marine construction, and military activities cause underwater noise pollution. Since whales depend on sound to communicate, any interference by noise pollution can negatively affect their ability to find food and mates, navigate, avoid predators, and take care of their young.
How WWF is taking action to protect narhwals
© Peter Ewins / WWF-Canada
Satellite tagging
WWF studies the movements of narwhals by attaching satellite tags to the animals. These satellite tags allow us to follow the movements of the narwhals during their annual feeding and reproductive routines. This information will help us better understand these unique animals.
Improving whale protection
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) is the body charged with regulating whaling and addressing the vast number of other threats to whales, dolphins, and porpoises in our oceans, such as shipping, climate change, and bycatch. WWF is pushing to make the IWC more effective at reducing these threats that go beyond whaling.
Protecting whales from ocean noise
WWF partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Ocean Conservation Research to raise awareness of and address the threat of ocean noise on marine animals. Our Don’t Be a Buckethead initiative shares the story of the many different Arctic marine species that depend on sound for survival and the harmful effects of underwater noise pollution.
Narwhal range
© WWF / ArkGIS
How you can help
© WWF
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