The narwhal is a medium-sized toothed whale found in the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia, best known for the long, spiraled tusk that grows from the upper jaw of most males, actually an elongated canine tooth that can reach up to about three metres in length and is now understood to function partly as a sensory organ as well as a display feature. Narwhals live in social pods and feed mainly on fish and squid, often diving to great depths beneath sea ice in search of prey. They are closely tied to Arctic sea ice for feeding and shelter from predators such as orcas, and although still relatively numerous, the species is classified as near threatened due to concerns about the effects of climate change on Arctic ice.
Facts
Scientific Name Conservation Status Body Size Band Activity Pattern Activity Pattern Activity Pattern Classification
System (Realm) ThreatsClimate Change and Severe Weather 4 Relationship to People Living or Extinct Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceA stocky whale body with no true dorsal fin, a blunt rounded head, and in males a single long spiraled ivory tusk projecting straight forward from the upper jaw. 1 Comparison
NatureServe Rank CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
In Biome
In Ecosystem
Source World Wildlife Fund
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Narwhal (Wikipedia)
IntroductionQuote, Introduction
The narwhal is a stocky cetacean with a relatively blunt snout, a large melon, and a shallow ridge in place of a dorsal fin... Males of this species have a spiralled tusk that is 1.5-3.0 m (4.9-9.8 ft) long.
2. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
3. GBIF Species API
4. Wikipedia: Narwhal
Threat (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
The population is threatened by the effects of climate change, such as reduction in ice cover and human activities such as pollution and hunting.
Lead section
Narwhals have been hunted for thousands of years by Inuit in northern Canada and Greenland for meat and ivory
Article text
They are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
Infobox: status
LC
- In Biome: Marine, Wikipedia 'Narwhal': inhabit the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland and Russia
View the Source5. Wikidata: Narwhal
Wikidata- Wikidata Q159426, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
Statements section, conservation status (P141)
IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
- Wikidata Q159426 (P225 taxon name)
Wikidata Q159426 (P1034 main food source): Boreogadus saida
Main food source (Wikidata property P1034): Boreogadus saida.
View the Source 6. NatureServe Explorer: Monodon monoceros
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G4"
7. Ecological Archives E095-178 (Wilman et al. 2014): EltonTraits 1.0 mammal diet data
Ecological Archives E095-178 (Wilman et al. 2014)Row: monodon monoceros
5383 Monodon monoceros Monodontidae 40 0 0 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ref_1 ABC M A 1 1 1 Ref_3 D2 900000 Ref_117 1
MamFuncDat.txt row Monodon monoceros, Activity columns
Monodon monoceros Monodontidae 40 0 0 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ref_1 ABC M A 1 1 1
View the Source 8. Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of Liverpool: AnAge entry for Monodon monoceros
Human Ageing Genomic Resources, University of LiverpoolLifespan, ageing, and relevant traitsQuote, Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits
Maximum longevity 50 years (wild)
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: MonodontidaeView the Source World Wildlife Fund
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