Narwhal Knowledge Trivia Quiz

Answer: its tusk

The narwhal has an elongated, helical tusk growing from its upper left jaw. Helical means that it is in the shape of a helix, so that it is in a counter-clockwise spiral (from the point of view of the narwhal).

Answer: the tusk would repair itself

Did you say ostracised? Not all narwhals have tusks! In fact, female narwhals don't usually have them. Tusk damage is often repairable with new dentine growth. If a tusk becomes infected however, this can lead to death for the animal.

Answer: vitamin C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, protects the body from free radicals which are suspected in causing both cancer and heart disease. Vitamin C helps to produce collagen which holds the cells together.

Answer: rubbing tusks together

As a rule, narwhals stay in groups of 5 - 10. In the summer however, they form larger groups. Occasionally, the males surface, and rub their tusks together, and this is known as tusking. Scientists believe that tusking is a means of establishing and maintaining social dominance.

Answer: it sucks its prey into its mouth

A narwhal does not spear its prey! It sucks its meal into its mouth, swallowing it whole. Sometimes the narwhal accidentally swallows rocks in the process.

Answer: True

Narwhal migration follows the movement of loose pack ice. The farthest north that the narwhal has been sighted is Franz Joseph Land, which is about 85° North latitude.

Answer: through its blowhole

The narwhal has a blowhole on the top its head, just the same as other whales. Therefore, it has to go to the surface in order to breathe.

Answer: unicorn horns

People used to believe in unicorns! Narwhal tusks, ostensibly unicorn horns, were sold for huge amounts of money, and used as cure-alls for everything from ulcers, rickets, scurvy, fainting, and gout, to heart palpitations and coughs. In addition, royalty used to have dishes and utensils made out of narwhal tusks (still believing them to be unicorn horns), because they trusted that the tusks had the power to neutralise poisons.

In the 16C, Queen Elizabeth 1 received a tusk valued at 10,000 pounds, equivalent at the time to the cost of an entire castle!

Answer: they are used to soothe the young

Narwhal tusks are really elongated teeth. Scientists theorise that they are really used for sensing as they are unlike any teeth currently known to science. The tusks have ten million nerve endings that can perceive small changes in particle gradients, pressure, salinity, and temperature. Scientists believe that the tusks provide other functions as well.

Answer: to swim easily under the ice

The lack of a dorsal fin is an adaptation that allows the narwhal to live in such frigid waters. Although there is no dorsal fin, there is a dorsal ridge on its lower back.