Marine Mammals
Narwhal
Monodon monoceros
Also known as
Unicorns of the sea, Qilalugaq tugaalik
Distribution
Arctic Ocean in Canada, Greenland and Europe
Ecosystem/Habitat
Sheltered deep-water coastal areas and deep fjords
Feeding Habits
Foraging predator
Conservation Status
Special Concern
Taxonomy
Suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales); Family Monodontidae (white whales)
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Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+Narwhals are an Arctic whale species, commonly identified by their unique tusk which protrudes from their foreheads. This tusk has coined them the nickname “the unicorns of the sea.” They are considered a social species, often travelling in a social group of two to 12 individuals. Narwhals hold great cultural significance and continue to be an important source of food to the indigenous Greenlandic and Canadian Inuit people. Narwhals were historically hunted for their valuable ivory tusks, but today the population size remains healthy and is not of concern.
- American Lobster
- American Plaice
- Arctic Char
- Atlantic Cod
- Atlantic Herring
- Atlantic Mackerel
- Atlantic Puffin
- Atlantic Walrus
- Atlantic Wolffish
- Basking shark
- Beluga Whale
- Blue Shark
- Bowhead Whale
- Bubblegum Coral
- Canary Rockfish
- Capelin
- Chinook Salmon
- Dungeness Crab
- Eulachon
- Fin Whale
- Fjords
- Giant Pacific Octopus
- Great White Shark
- Green Sea Turtle
- Greenland Halibut/Turbot
- Greenland Shark
- Humboldt Squid
- Humpback Whale
- Kelp Forests
- Leatherback Sea Turtle
- Lingcod
- Lion's Mane Jellyfish
- Loggerhead Sea Turtle
- Lophelia Coral
- Narwhal
- North Atlantic Right Whale
- Northern Gannet
- Northern Shrimp
- Orca
- Pacific Herring
- Pacific White-sided Dolphin
- Pilot Whale
- Polar Bear
- Pom-Pom Anemones
- Redfish (Acadian & Deepwater)
- Sea Otter
- Sea Pens
- Sea Strawberry
- Seamounts
- Snow crab
- Sockeye Salmon
- Spiny Dogfish
- Thick-billed Murres
- Thorny Skate
- Tufted Puffin
- Yelloweye Rockfish