Do you know why Narwhal is called the ‘Unicorn of the Sea’?
Do you remember the sci-fi film, Blade Runner, directed by Ridley Scott where American actor Harrison Ford dreams of a unicorn? Later, he is reminded of that dream when he finds an origami unicorn outside his door. The love for unicorns is timeless. Unicorns are mythological creatures resembling horses and goats, having a single horn on their foreheads. They have undoubtedly made their place as one of the most beloved mythical animals on screen. Their presence is not limited to the land. We bet you have never heard of a marine animal called the ‘Unicorn of The Sea’? Stay tuned to find out!
What is a Narwhal?
Narwhal, also known as a narwhale, is a medium-sized, toothed whale with a huge "tusk" formed by a protruding canine tooth. This marine animal is fondly referred to as the ‘Unicorn of the Sea’, thanks to its long tusk, resembling a unicorn’s horn. The tusk protrudes from the heads of only the male whales. Fascinating, eh? Studies show that narwhals use their tusks for feeding. Further, the rubbing of tusks is supposed to be a means for narwhals to exchange information. It is said that they spend the entire year in the Arctic waters surrounding Greenland, Canada and Russia. Most narwhals spend up to five months of the year under the frozen seas in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait area. It is one of the two living whale species in the Monodontidae family, the other being the beluga whale.
What’s In the Name!
The name narwhal has been coined from the Old Norse (Scandanavian) word ‘nár’ meaning ‘corpse’. This is a reference to the greyish, mottled pigmentation resembling that of a drowned sailor. The other explanation for the name could be the summer habit of lying still at or near the surface of the sea.
Tusk-A Dental History!
Male narwhals are identified by a long, straight, helical (spiral) tusk, which is an extended upper left canine. This sea animal is one of several species described by Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist and naturalist, who mentioned the narwhal in his 1758 publication, Systema Naturae. Well, the narwhal tusk is nothing but an expanded tooth with high sensory capability, thanks to its 10 million nerve endings! In fact, some narwhals may even have two tusks. The spiralling tusk protrudes from the head and can grow upto 10 feet long. How amazing is that?
More About Narwhals
A narwhal has an average lifespan of 30-40 years; however, many have reportedly lived to be 50 years old. Newborn narwhals are speckled blue-grey, teens are speckled blue-black, adults are speckled grey, and the elderly narwhals are almost entirely white.
This whale is one of the deepest diving marine mammals. It can dive as deep as 1,500 m (4,500 ft) and stay there for nearly 25 minutes. This is a truly amazing adaptation as most whales come up to the surface of the water every few minutes to breathe. Narwhals can spend up to three hours a day underwater at depths of less than 800 metres. Like other Arctic whales such as the bowhead and beluga, they lack a dorsal fin. The absence of a dorsal fin allows the conservation of heat by lesser surface area while swimming beneath ice sheets. That’s where the trick lies!