The white whales, dolphins (Delphinidae) and porpoises (Phocoenidae) together comprise the superfamily Delphinoidea, which are of likely monophyletic origin. Genetic evidence suggests the porpoises are more closely related to the white whales and that these two families constitute a separate clade which diverged from the rest of Delphinoidea within the past 11million years. [13] Fossil evidence shows that ancient white whales lived in tropical waters. They may have migrated to Arctic and sub-Arctic waters in response to changes in the marine food chain during the Pliocene. [14] Description Complete skeleton at the Zoological Museum of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences During the summer, narwhals can be found closer to land and in shallower water than at other times of the year (Laidre et al. 2004, Heide-Jørgensen et al. 2013ab). They move into areas of the Canadian Eastern Arctic, West and East Greenland and Svalbard that are covered by landfast ice and therefore inaccessible at other times of the year. During this period, narwhals often congregate in fjords and at glacier fronts. They also form larger groups than during other periods, up to several hundred animals. Autumn In management area 3 – Tasiilaq, south of 67°N – the population model also estimated a small depleted aggregation (down to 25% of the historical population estimate). This aggregation was also considered so small that it could not sustainable any current removals (NAMMCO 2019a,b). North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO). (2010). Report of the Joint Meeting of the NAMMCO Scientific Committee Working Group and the JCNB scientific Working Group on the Population Status of Narwhal and Beluga in the North Atlantic. In: NAMMCO Annual Report 2009, pp. 338-410. https://nammco.no/topics/annual-reports/ Jorge Vélez-Juarbe & Nicholas D. Pyenson (2012). " Bohaskaia monodontoides, a new monodontid (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Delphinoidea) from the Pliocene of the western North Atlantic Ocean". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 32 (2): 476–484. doi: 10.1080/02724634.2012.641705. S2CID 55606151.

a b c Lowry, L; Laidre, K; Reeves, R (2017). " Monodon monoceros". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T13704A50367651.en. In November 2008, over 1,000 narwhals were entrapped in the ice near Pond Inlet, Nunavut, in an area of Lancaster Sound that freezes solid in the winter and is therefore no winter habitat for cetaceans. Previous tagging experiments have demonstrated that most narwhals begin their southward migration from this area by the end of September. However, seismic exploration was occurring in Baffin Bay in September and October of the same year and it is possible that the noise produced by this activity may have delayed or prevented the narwhals from migrating and thereby contributed to the entrapment. All of these animals eventually died, most of them harvested by local Inuit who knew they would not survive the winter. Inglefield Bredning

Are Narwhals Extinct or Endangered?

William F. Perrin; Bernd Wursig; J. G. M. 'Hans' Thewissen, eds. (2009). Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Academic Press. pp.929–30. ISBN 978-0080919935. Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). (2006). Fishery Management Plan Greenland Halibut NAFO Subarea 0, 2006-2008. Assessment of sustainable catch levels for West Greenland were provided in JCNB/NAMMCO JWG report 2021 . Narwhals have a very long and robust life expectancy. It is estimated that they can live up to 50 years in the wild. The age of sexual maturity is not quite known, but it is likely to take up to nine years for males. The female conceives every two to three years on average, which ensures a constant supply of new calves. Population

Refrain from purchasing products made from narwhal ivory or any other endangered species, as this contributes to illegal poaching. North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO). (2012). Report of the NAMMCO expert group meeting to assess the hunting methods for small cetaceans.Arctic cod ( Arctogadus glacialis ), polar cod ( Boreogadus saida ) and squid of the genus Gonatus also form an important part of the winter diet. These species may be available in mid-water in areas too deep for narwhals to reach the bottom (Laidre et al. 2003, 2004, Laidre and Heide-Jørgensen 2005b). During the spring, as narwhals follow the retreating ice edge, polar and Arctic cod become more important in the diet (Laidre et al. 2004). Recently capelin ( Mallotus villosus ) have also been found in narwhal stomachs during summer in East Greenland (Garde et al. 2021). Plasticity in feeding ecology suggests that narwhals are able to change their foraging ecology in response to changing environments (Dietz et al. 2021, Watt et al. 2013, 2015, Watt and Ferguson 2015). Locating prey

The purpose of the narwhal’s tusk is currently unknown. According to the most common theory, it is probably used for sexual selection. The female chooses the male based on the characteristics of the male’s task. It may also serve the purpose of allowing the males to fight each other. Another popular theory suggests that it helps gather sensory information about the environment. Other theories including defense and hunting seem less likely to be true.The narwhal, also known as a narwhale ( Monodon monoceros), is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada and Russia. It is one of two living species of whale in the family Monodontidae, along with the beluga whale, and the only species in the genus Monodon. The narwhal males are distinguished by a long, straight, helical tusk, which in actuality is an oversized canine tooth. On the other hand, females rarely possess this feature; an example of sexual dimorphism. The narwhal was one of many species described by Carl Linnaeus in his publication Systema Naturae in 1758. Borenstein, Seth (25 April 2008). "Narwhals more at risk to Arctic warming than polar bears". Associated Press . Retrieved 27 April 2008. Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). (2012c). Evaluation of Baffin Bay narwhal hunt sustainability. DFO Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2012/038. http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/Publications/SAR-AS/2012/2012_038-eng.html Best, R.C. (1981). "The tusk of the narwhal ( Monodon monoceros L.): interpretation of its function (Mammalia: Cetacea)". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 59 (12): 2386–2393. doi: 10.1139/z81-319. The narwhal’s ivory spiral tusk is a truly impressive instrument. With almost 10 million nerve endings, it is an excellent sensory organ that can gather information about water pressure, temperature, and salinity. This horn actually develops from a large tooth and then protrudes through the upper lip of the skull to the left, giving it the appearance of a unicorn. Interestingly, the narwhal has two teeth. In most individuals, the second tooth usually remains undeveloped, but in very rare cases it has been known to grow into a second tusk from its skull.

Narwhal distribution and migration as recognised by the Global Review of Monodontids (Hobbs et al. 2019) Narwhals are medium-sized whales and are around the same size as beluga whales. Total length in both sexes, excluding the tusk of the male, can range from 3.95 to 5.5m (13 to 18ft). [15] Males, at an average length of 4.1m (13.5ft), are slightly larger than females, with an average length of 3.5m (11.5ft). Typical adult body weight ranges from 800 to 1,600kg (1,760 to 3,530lb). [15] Male narwhals attain sexual maturity at 11 to 13 years of age, when they are about 3.9m (12.8ft) long. Females become sexually mature at a younger age, between 5 and 8 years old, when they are around 3.4m (11.2ft) long. [15] Prior to 1996, there had been very little fishing in NAFO Division 0A, the waters on the Canadian side of Baffin Bay. Since 1998, the Greenland halibut fishery in this area has expanded. Currently, both otter trawls and gillnets are used in this fishery. As the fishery has expanded, concerns have been raised by both DFO and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board that narwhals could be affected by removal of their primary prey species on their overwintering grounds, damage to bottom habitat by trawling, and entanglement in lost gillnets. Make your voice heard by signing petitions or writing to your elected representatives to advocate for narwhal protection. Call your local representative through the Citizen’s Climate Lobby and tell them you want green energy.A narwhal is a type of small- or medium-sized whale with a gigantic tusk protruding from its head. It is the only living member of its genus.