What Is a Narwhal?
Narwhals are a revered species of whale noted for their unusual features, and even considered mythical creatures by some cultures. The narwhal's icy natural habitat makes it much less studied than other Arctic creatures, such as the polar bear. While not endangered like other whale species, climate change poses a risk for the narwhal population. Does this Spark an idea?
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Identification
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Scientifically classified as Mondon monoceros and part of the whale family, the narwhal---pronounced "nar-wall," but often mispronounced as "norwall"---lives in Arctic waters. Marine biologists know little about this species other than the obvious: The males grow an extremely long tusk, up to 8.75 feet in length, according to National Geographic.
Significance
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The Inuit people and fishermen in Arctic regions regularly interact with the narwhal, reports National Geographic, with sightings of packs of 15 to 20, and on occasion, in the thousands. Outside the frigid waters of the Arctic, however, most people fail to see a narwhal in their lifetime. Narwhals rarely leave their natural habitat, other than for brief periods during summertime, according to Enchanted Learning.
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History
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Because of its distinctive horn, for centuries the narwhal was considered the "unicorn" of the sea, according Carla Helfferich, writing for the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Some traders sold the ivory tusks as "unicorn horns" to royalty during medieval times. Today, scientists believes the tusk acts to impress the female narwhal or as self-defense.
Features
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The narwhal looks diminutive for a whale, growing only to 15 feet long on average. The tusk makes up almost half the length of a typical narwhal, but twists and turns to distribute the narwhal's weight evenly, helping the narwhal achieve excellent balance in the water and swim as well as a dolphin, reports Helfferich.
Theories/Speculation
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Biologist Terry Root told the Boston Globe in 2008 that even with a healthy population estimated at 50,000 to 100,000 worldwide, the global warming trend could ruin the narwhal's natural habit and the species might disappear. Narwhals cannot adapt to warm climates, Root says, unlike some Arctic animals.
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References
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Goddard Space Flight Center Multimedia and Visualization
