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Narwhal

Mammals
Narwhal

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
Classification
Diet
Piscivore 2
System (Realm)
Marine 3
Threats
Climate Change and Severe Weather 4
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 4
Living or Extinct
Yes 5
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
A 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
Scientific Name
Monodon monoceros 5
Conservation Status
Least Concern 4
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Monodontidae, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life

In Biome

Marine, Biomes
Source Wikipedia: Narwhal

In Ecosystem

Arctic Ocean, Ecosystems
Source World Wildlife Fund
In the Other Atlases
  • Also in Geography Atlas: Belgium, found in there.
  • Also in Geography Atlas: Denmark, found in there.
  • Also in Geography Atlas: Norway, found in there.
Sources
1. Narwhal (Wikipedia)
Introduction
Quote, 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
GBIF Species APIView the Source
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
  • Speciesbox infobox, conservation status parameter
    status = LC
  • In Biome: Marine, Wikipedia 'Narwhal': inhabit the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland and Russia
View the Source
5. 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
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: MonodontidaeView the Source
World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife FundIn Ecosystem: Arctic OceanView the Source
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