BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE UNICORN OF THE SEA 

Narwhal's are arguably the most iconic whale on Earth because of their beautiful counter-clockwise spiralling “horn”, which can be up to 3m long. This horn is in fact a tusk – a canine tooth protruding from the whale’s upper lip. It’s mostly male narwhals who have a tusk - sometimes they even have two. They use their tusks for fighting and foraging, but the tusk also helps them detect changes in the water around them.

Recent footage has discovered a narwhal stunning fish with the side of its tusk.

Killer whales, with their tall dorsal fins, aren’t designed for swimming amongst thick sea ice. But melting ice means these predators have a whole new feeding ground to hunt in. And they hunt narwhal. 

Satellite tracking of both narwhal and killer whales at the same time shows that narwhal behaviour is changing as killer whales encroach, moving them to shallower waters where food is more limited. 

Narwhals evolved to use sea ice as protection against predators - now hundreds of thousands of years of evolution is worthless. In mere decades their advantage is being lost. 

Climate change can also cause sudden local changes in weather and sea ice cover, occasionally freezing shut the very openings in the ice that whales use to breathe air. Hundreds of narwhals can become entrapped in small openings and die. 

Learn more about Climate Change

• We’re working to limit noise pollution in Arctic waters by making parts of the ocean off-limits to particularly loud industrial activities.
• We’re advising communities and governments on the risks of shipping traffic and best practices.
• We’ve created maps and posters for Canadian ships to help mariners identify and avoid marine mammals.
• We’re tracking narwhals from space – we're working with partners to fit satellite radio transmitters to narwhals to investigate their seasonal movements, to understand whether habitat use has changed with changing sea ice, and which areas are vital for protection.
• We’re looking at how shipping routes overlap with narwhal habitats. If areas are important for raising calves for example, we can use this information to advocate for protection from shipping.

"As the sea ice started breaking up in Tremblay Sound, the narwhals began to arrive. One morning in August at 2.45am, there was a tap on my tent: “They’re here!” Poking my head out, I looked out over the water. Hundreds of narwhals were swimming into the Sound! Some were alone, others in groups, mothers with young, and big males with long tusks that pierced the air as they surfaced. It was a sight I’ll never forget. The night was so still you could hear them exhale.  

Over the next few hours, about 3,000 narwhals congregated. They became a familiar backdrop as they jousted with their tusks and lay near the water’s surface, seeming to enjoy the Arctic sunshine. While I was in camp, six narwhals were fitted with satellite transmitters so we can learn why they use Tremblay Sound and help to protect this important habitat.

Projects like these are vital for ensuring that important habitats for narwhal are protected into the future. I’m incredibly proud to be part of this work."