Narwhal
About Narwhal :
Narwhal (Monodon monoceros), are the medium-sized whale found in the Arctic Ocean. It has a small rounded head and the most distinctive feature, which is its long tusk. Moreover, its long tusk is very sensitive, which helps them to catch prey and also to protect themselves. These tusks may grow up to a size of 9 feet. Their tusk grows in a clockwise direction. It is the unicorn of the sea as it has a tusk like the unicorn horse.
Narwhals can grow up to a size of about 16 feet and can weigh up to 1.8 tonnes. The female of these species is quite smaller than the male and grow up to a size of about 13 feet. They have bluish-gray skin with white blotches on it. They have thick blubber, which retains heat. They are deep divers and can dive up to 4921 feet.
Narwhal Fast Facts :
Some of the fast and interesting facts about the narwhal are as follows:
Narwhal Habitat and Behavior :
These narwhal whales live in icy conditions. They are found in the icy water of the Arctic seas. They are very rarely found away from these icy conditions. They have a special characteristic that they perform deep dives. They dive up to a depth of 4921 feet and this diving is performed by them 15 times a day.
Reproduction and Breeding :
The narwhal whales reach maturity at the age between (4 to 9) years. The males get matured between (8-9) years of age and the females reach maturity at the age of (4-7) years. The gestation period in these species is about 15 months. They give birth to a calf every 3 years. The size of the calf measures 5 feet and it weighs up to 180 pounds at birth. The mating of the narwhal whales usually occur in the month of April.
Narwhal Feeding :
They most probably feed in deep bays and inlets. Here, they find Arctic squid, cod, flatfish, pelagic shrimp, cephalopods, etc. very easily. In the early days, it was thought that these whales use their tusk in search of food, but it is not true. These tusks help them most probably in mating conditions.
Narwhal Sounds :
The Narwhal whales make a wide variation of whistles and clicks. The amplitude of the clicks they produce ranges from 19 kHz to 48 kHz. The rate of the clicks vary from (3-150) clicks per second and the amplitude of the whistle ranges from 300 Hz to 18 Hz.
Narwhal Conservation :
Polar bear and orcas are the only predators of the Narwhal whales besides human beings. They are hunted by polar bear and orcas for their flesh. But they are hunted by the human beings mostly for their ivory tusks. Their ivory tusks are very expensive. They are also hunted because their meat is rich in vitamins and minerals. The government has banned on the sale of the Narwhal tusks. The step was taken because if the hunting of the Narwhal fish is not stopped then it will make them extinct from the
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