The narwhal's tusk acts as a sensory organ. Its millions of nerve endings allow it to sense in real time the pressure, salinity and temperature of its environment. The tusk also acts as an antenna that the narwhal uses to detect both predators and its food.

Identity card
Narwhal
- Scientific name:
- Monodon monoceros
- Family:
- Monodontidae
- Class:
- Mammifère
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Year of description:
- Linnaeus, 1758
- IUCN Status:
- Least Concern
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Distribution:
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Arctic Ocean - Canada (Baffin Bay and Hudson Bay), Greenland, Norway and Russia, between 65 and 85° northern latitude.
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Habitat:
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Deep waters of the Arctic Ocean
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Size:
Up to 4.7 m (without the tooth) for males, up to 4.2 m for females.
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Diet:
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Pelagic fish such as polar cod or Greenland halibut, squid, shrimp and benthic animals.
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Longevity:
25 to 50 years