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Nifty Narwhals Trivia Quiz

Narwhal are pretty nifty animals. They are small whales with a tusk protruding from their foreheads, making them look something like a unicorn. What do you know about these neat creatures?

A multiple-choice quiz by Joepetz. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
Joepetz

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
368,655

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
261

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In what ocean are narwhals most commonly found? Hint

Arctic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Pacific Ocean

Indian Ocean

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which animal is responsible for nearly all hunting of narwhals? Hint

polar bears

sharks

walruses

humans

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Question 3 of 10

3. According to Inuit legends, how did the narwhal get its tusk? Hint

A man shot a tuskless narwhal with a bow right in its forehead

A dog was set adrift on ice

A child fell through a sheet of thin ice

A woman with a harpoon was dragged into the ocean

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Question 4 of 10

4. Narwhals are notoriously poor divers.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. The word narwhal comes from the Old Norse word that means what? Hint

beautiful whale

sad whale

happy whale

corpse whale

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of the following is NOT true about the behavior of narwhals? Hint

They communicate by making clicking noises

They are migratory animals

They move slowly

They prefer solitude

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Question 7 of 10

7. What is unusual about the fact that narwhals live in frigid waters? Hint

They lack fat and blubber for insulation

Ancient Greeks had coins with narwhals depicted on them

All other whales live in warm waters

The tusks and teeth have tubules on them

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Question 8 of 10

8. Which of the following is NOT true about the narwhal's infamous tusk? Hint

It can grow to be 7-10 feet long

It is hollow

It is not at all flexible

It is usually twisted in a counterclockwise direction

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Question 9 of 10

9. In the early 21st century, how does the World Wildlife Fund classify the extinction threat of narwhals? Hint

extinct in the wild

near threatened

critically endangered

least concern

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which of the following is NOT a threat to the sustainability of narwhals? Hint

long gestation periods and small litters

ships and boats

disappearance of Arctic fish

pollution

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In what ocean are narwhals most commonly found?

Answer: Arctic Ocean

Although they are found predominantly in the Arctic Ocean, sometimes a stray narwhal can be found swimming much further south in areas such as the Hudson Bay.

2. Which animal is responsible for nearly all hunting of narwhals?

Answer: humans

Humans, in particular Inuit peoples, hunt narwhals for blubber and food. Polar bears and walruses also hunt narwhals, but they are not main predators and will only go after narwhals by accident or if there is nothing else to eat.

3. According to Inuit legends, how did the narwhal get its tusk?

Answer: A woman with a harpoon was dragged into the ocean

The legend goes that a woman wearing a roped harpoon shot at and hit a whale that was too strong for her and it dragged her into the ocean. The woman wore her braided hair in such a fashion that looked like a narwhal's horn.

4. Narwhals are notoriously poor divers.

Answer: False

Narwhals are excellent divers and can dive as deep as 4,900 feet and for as long as 25 minutes.

5. The word narwhal comes from the Old Norse word that means what?

Answer: corpse whale

Norse sailors noticed similarities between the pale color of the narwhals to that of sailors who drowned or fell overboard.

6. Which of the following is NOT true about the behavior of narwhals?

Answer: They prefer solitude

Narwhals generally travel in pods of up to 100 narwhals, so they are not solitary animals. The male narwhals also do something called "tusking." Tusking looks like dueling with the tusks, but appears friendly and may be some kind of mating ritual.

7. What is unusual about the fact that narwhals live in frigid waters?

Answer: The tusks and teeth have tubules on them

Much like human teeth, narwhal tusks and teeth have tubules on them that make them sensitive to the cold. It is a mystery to scientists why they live in cold waters when their teeth should not be able to tolerate it.

8. Which of the following is NOT true about the narwhal's infamous tusk?

Answer: It is not at all flexible

The tusk is flexible up to about a foot. Male narwhals grow very large tusks and most females do not have tusks, but occasionally one is seen with a small tusk. Even more rarely, a narwhal will have a double tusk.

9. In the early 21st century, how does the World Wildlife Fund classify the extinction threat of narwhals?

Answer: near threatened

The WWF estimates that there are about 75,000-80,000 wild narwhals in the world. Near threatened means "likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future."

10. Which of the following is NOT a threat to the sustainability of narwhals?

Answer: ships and boats

Narwhals are generally not affected by boats. They live in icy waters that are not friendly to ships and can dive deep enough to avoid the boats that do pass by. Climate change has dwindled the population of fish that the narwhals eat. The gestation period for narwhals is about 10-16 months and females only give birth to one baby at a time.

Source: Author Joepetz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor guitargoddess before going online.
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