Winter 2018 NCC magazine

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 NCC 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 (NCC). NCC 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, NCC, 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 2018 13