Unicorn of the sea: narwhal facts

The document describes the narwhal as a toothed whale inhabiting Arctic waters, characterized by a spiraled tusk that is an enlarged tooth with up to 10 million nerve endings. With a population exceeding 80,000, these animals face threats from climate change and oil and gas development, the latter of which increases shipping vessel collisions and underwater noise pollution. Narwhals are found in Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia, often wintering in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait area.

• Narwhals are toothed whales with a population of over 80,000 individuals, reaching up to 17 feet in length and weighing up to 4,200 pounds. Their distinctive tusk, primarily found in males, is an enlarged tooth that can grow up to 10 feet long and contains up to 10 million nerve endings.
• The species inhabits Arctic waters across Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia, with a significant portion of the population wintering under sea ice in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait area for up to five months.
• Climate change and oil and gas development are primary threats to narwhals; specifically, industrial development leads to increased shipping traffic, which raises the risk of vessel collisions and creates underwater noise pollution that disrupts whale communication.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). Unicorn of the sea: narwhal facts. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/facts/unicorn-of-the-sea-narwhal-facts/

Chicago

WWF International. Unicorn of the sea: narwhal facts. n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/facts/unicorn-of-the-sea-narwhal-facts/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Unicorn of the sea: narwhal facts |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/facts/unicorn-of-the-sea-narwhal-facts/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndunicorn, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Unicorn of the sea: narwhal facts}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/facts/unicorn-of-the-sea-narwhal-facts/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }