Narwhal - Animals Town

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Narwhal

Type: Mammal
Diet: Carnivore
Size: 13 to 20 ft (4 to 6.1 m)
Weight: 3,500 lbs (1,600 kg)

What does a narwhal look like?
The narwhal is the unicorn of the sea, a pale-colored porpoise found in Arctic coastal waters and rivers. These legendary animals have two teeth. In males, the more prominent tooth grows into a swordlike, spiral tusk up to 8.8 feet (2.7 meters) long. The ivory tusk tooth grows right through the narwhal's upper lip. Scientists are not certain of the tusk's purpose, but some believe it is prominent in mating rituals, perhaps used to impress females or to battle rival suitors. Females sometimes grow a small tusk of their own, but it does not become as prominent as the male's.

Narwhal video.

Where do narwhals live?
Narwhals are creatures of Arctic waters. There, they most often are seen off the coasts of the Canadian and Russian Arctic. They also may be found in the northern Atlantic Ocean, off the coasts of Canada and Greenland. But they tend not to venture south of 65 degrees north latitude.

What does a narwhal eat?
Narwhals are related to bottlenose dolphins, belugas, harbor porpoises, and orcas. Like some other porpoises, they travel in groups and feed on fish, shrimp, squid, and other aquatic fare. They are often sighted swimming in groups of 15 to 20, but gatherings of hundreds, or even several thousand, narwhals have been reported. Sometimes these groups become trapped by shifting pack ice and fall victim to Inuit hunters, polar bears, or walruses.