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November 16, 2017

5 surprising narwhal facts for a chilly day

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BY: Oceana

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A pod of narwhals (Monodon monoceros)
Dr. Kristin Laidre, Polar Science Center, UW NOAA/OAR/OER - NOAA Photolib Library

 

Originally published on Oceana.org

Holiday season is gearing up, and for many folks that means a months-long buffet of candy, pie and cookies. What better way to celebrate your upcoming toothache than by learning about the narwhal, owner of one of the most impressive teeth in the sea? Learn how narwhals find friends, impress mates and make champion dives in the icy Arctic ocean. 

narwhal Arctic

narwhal arctic Canada

Not every ocean animal is lucky enough to be a narwhal. Belugas, their close relatives, don’t come equipped with a spiffy spiral tooth. And as for unicornfish and certain species of chimera, those “horns” are just fleshy protuberances. So, as you bundle up for the weekend, be happy that unicorns are real — they just have fins and weigh 2 tons.