The Narwhal: Arctic’s Unicorn of the Sea — Passage and Quiz

Deep in the icy waters of the Arctic swims one of nature's most extraordinary creatures—the narwhal(Monodon monoceros). Known as the "unicorns of the sea" for their spectacular spiral tusks, these elusive whales are perfectly adapted to life in one of Earth's harshest environments.

Narwhals live exclusively in Arctic waters, primarily around:

●       Northern Canada

●       Greenland

●       Russia

●       Norway

They spend their entire lives in frigid temperatures, often swimming among sea ice where few predators can follow. During winter, they migrate to deeper offshore waters to avoid being trapped by ice.

Narwhals are skilled hunters that feast on:

●       Arctic cod and halibut

●       Shrimp and squid

●       Other deep-sea fish

Their unique feeding strategy involves suction feeding—they create a vacuum with their mouths to draw in prey. Surprisingly, they're among the deepest-diving marine mammals, reaching depths of 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) in search of food!

The narwhal's most famous feature is actually a modified tooth that can grow up to 3 meters (10 feet)long. Scientists believe males use these tusks for:

●       Sensing changes in their environment

●       Establishing dominance

●       Possibly even hunting

Fun Fact: Narwhal tusks were once sold as "unicorn horns" in medieval Europe for many times their weight in gold!