SPECIES PROFILE Unicorns of the sea Resembling a mythical creature from another time, narwhals have gained increasing attention in recent years, as scientists better understand their needs and behaviours PAUL NICKLEN/GETTY IMAGES. 12 WINTER <strong>2018</strong> natureconservancy.ca
Known to many as the “unicorns of the sea,” narwhals are a medium-sized whale that lack a fin on their back. They are listed as a species of special concern in Canada. WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? In most males, the right tooth remains in the skull, while the left tooth grows as a spiral tusk that can measure up to three metres long. This is the most recognizable feature of the male narwhal. Growing anywhere between five to five-and-a-half metres in length and weighing up to 1,900 kilograms, narwhals are closely related to the beluga whale in size and appearance. Both species make up the only two living members of the Monodontidae family. Whales in this family lack a dorsal (top) fin, which may be an adaptation for swimming under sea ice and to reduce heat loss. Narwhals become lighter in colour with age. Newborn narwhals are greyish or bluish grey, and turn to a uniform black or bluish black. Adults are white to creamy yellow on the belly, with mottled grey black on the back. Very old animals, especially males, can be almost completely white. Narwhals use echolocation to help them navigate. They are also very vocal, and new research indicates they may recognize each other by their individual voices. WHAT IS THIS SPECIES’ CONSERVATION STATUS? Narwhals are listed as a species of special concern in Canada. Narwhal populations may be limited or threatened by environmental contaminants, climate change and industrial activities. In some areas, populations may be threatened by hunting. Narwhals have been traditionally harvested for over a thousand years by Inuit people in northern Canada and Greenland for food and their tusk. FACT SHEET SCIENTIFIC NAME Monodon monoceros SIZE AND WEIGHT Five to five-and-a-half metres in length, weighing roughly 1,900 kilograms. RANGE Narwhals primarily inhabit the Arctic Ocean in northeastern Canada, as well as northern Greenland, Svalbard and northern Russia into the East Siberian Sea. They are more common in the eastern part of their global range. In Canada their range extends throughout the waters of the eastern Arctic, from Ellesmere Island south to northwest Hudson Bay. POPULATION TREND Between 45,000 and 50,000 narwhals from the Baffin Bay population may summer in Canadian waters. The Hudson Bay population may number about 3,500 animals in summer. Further information on populations is needed. STATUS IN CANADA Special concern Narwhal tusks were considered to have magic powers, so Vikings were able to sell them for many times their weight in gold. WHAT IS <strong>NCC</strong> DOING TO PROTECT HABITAT FOR THIS SPECIES? On June 8, 2016, Shell Canada (Shell) contributed more than 2.1 million acres (8,625 square kilometres) of offshore rights in the waters of Baffin Bay, near Lancaster Sound, to the Nature of Conservancy of Canada (<strong>NCC</strong>). <strong>NCC</strong> helped to accelerate a marine conservation initiative of global significance by subsequently releasing the rights to the Government of Canada to further Canada’s commitment to protecting oceans and coasts. Lancaster Sound is home to species such as polar bear, seal, narwhal, beluga and bowhead whale. In August 2017, after decades of hard work by the Inuit people, along with other conservation partners, <strong>NCC</strong>, Shell and government representatives gathered to celebrate the news of an agreement on a final boundary for the Tallurutiup Imanga/Lancaster Sound National Marine Conservation Area. When completed, it will be the largest protected area (marine or terrestrial) in Canada. The joint announcement was made by the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and the governments of Canada and Nunavut.1 Narwhal range • Known range • Summer range Lancaster Sound DID YOU KNOW? A recent video of drone footage taken in Nunavut has solved the mystery of the narwhal’s tusk. The video shows a group of narwhals using their tusks to stun Atlantic cod during feeding. To help protect habitat for species such as the narwhal, visit giftsofnature.ca. natureconservancy.ca WINTER <strong>2018</strong> 13
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