Facts about Narwhals and Their Tusks
- 06
During deep Arctic dives, narwhals use their tusks to create breathing holes in ice up to 3 feet thick by jabbing upward repeatedly.
- 05
Ivory from narwhal tusks was historically sold in Europe as 'unicorn horn,' believed to have magical healing properties and worth many times its weight in gold.
- 04
Spiral grooves on narwhal tusks always twist in a left-handed, counterclockwise direction, a consistent feature across all individuals.
- 03
Only male narwhals typically grow the iconic spiral tusk, though females occasionally develop one in rare cases.
- 02
Narwhal tusks are filled with millions of nerve endings that connect to the ocean environment, giving narwhals a highly sensitive sensory organ.
- 01
The narwhal's tusk is actually an elongated upper left canine tooth that can grow up to 10 feet long in males.