Narwhal: where and when to see them

The narwhal is an Arctic toothed whale whose best-known feature is an elongated tooth, usually carried by males. Its mottled grey body has no dorsal fin, an adaptation suited to life around sea ice. Most animals belong to populations associated with Canadian, Greenlandic and Russian Arctic waters. These are marine mammals, not shore-dwelling wildlife, and even in occupied fjords their brief surfacings can make distant observation difficult.

Size

3.8-5.5 m body length, excluding tusk

Weight

800-1,600 kg

Lifespan

Not reliably established

Status

Least Concern

Narwhals travel in social groups and make seasonal movements between coastal summer areas and offshore winter habitat associated with pack ice. They use echolocation to locate prey and navigate a dim environment. At the surface, groups may breathe quietly with little obvious splash, making them easy to miss from land or a deck. Their movements follow regional traditions, and changing ice, vessel disturbance and hunting pressure can influence where animals appear. Narwhals travel in social groups and make seasonal movements between coastal summer areas and offshore winter habitat associated with pack ice. They use echolocation to locate prey and navigate a dim environment. At the surface, groups may breathe quietly with little obvious splash, making them easy to miss from land or a deck. Their movements follow regional traditions, and changing ice, vessel disturbance and hunting pressure can influence where animals appear. They are known to undertake deep dives, often exceeding 1,000 meters, to feed. Social groups, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, communicate through a variety of clicks, whistles, and pulsed calls.

• The familiar tusk is usually the left upper canine tooth.
• Some females grow a tusk, and rare individuals develop two.
• Narwhals lack a dorsal fin but have a low ridge along the back.
• Age estimates from eye-lens chemistry suggest some individuals can exceed a century.

July and August can provide access to certain Arctic summering areas as coastal ice retreats. This is a travel and visibility window rather than a universal peak in narwhal numbers. Local knowledge is essential because different populations use different fjords and migration routes. July and August can provide access to certain Arctic summering areas as coastal ice retreats. This is a travel and visibility window rather than a universal peak in narwhal numbers. Local knowledge is essential because different populations use different fjords and migration routes. Winter months see them in offshore pack ice, making them largely inaccessible to human observation. Spring and autumn are transitional periods, with animals moving between habitats.

Deep Arctic waters, ice-covered offshore areas and selected coastal fjords form the narwhal's habitat. Some populations enter bays and inlets during summer, while others remain difficult to access. Suitable-looking coastline alone is not evidence that narwhals regularly occur there. Deep Arctic waters, ice-covered offshore areas and selected coastal fjords form the narwhal's habitat. Some populations enter bays and inlets during summer, while others remain difficult to access. Suitable-looking coastline alone is not evidence that narwhals regularly occur there. Their range extends across the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. Key populations are found in Baffin Bay and around Greenland.

Narwhals eat fish and cephalopods, including Greenland halibut, Arctic cod, polar cod and squid. Diet differs between regions and seasons. Much feeding takes place at considerable depth, and important winter feeding grounds may lie far from any practical shore viewpoint. Narwhals eat fish and cephalopods, including Greenland halibut, Arctic cod, polar cod and squid. Diet differs between regions and seasons. Much feeding takes place at considerable depth, and important winter feeding grounds may lie far from any practical shore viewpoint. They are apex predators in their ecosystem, playing a crucial role in the food web. Their specialized diet and deep feeding habits reflect adaptations to a challenging environment.

Common name

Narwhal

Scientific name

Monodon monoceros

Animal group

Mammals

Size

3.8-5.5 m body length, excluding tusk

Weight

800-1,600 kg

Lifespan

Not reliably established

Status

Least Concern

Identification

Unlike the uniformly pale adult beluga, an adult narwhal has grey mottling and may show a long straight tusk, but both lack a dorsal fin. Unlike the uniformly pale adult beluga, an adult narwhal has grey mottling and may show a long straight tusk, but both lack a dorsal fin. Juveniles and subadults often appear darker and more mottled than older individuals. The tusk, present in males and some females, is a highly elongated canine tooth and can reach up to ten feet in length.