Narwhals are part of the phylum Chordate and class Mammalia. They belong to the order Artiodactyla or even-toed ungulates which means they bare their weight on the third and fourth toe and the infraorder Cetacean which includes whales. Their family, Monodontidae, only includes Narwhals and Beluga whales. They are part of a one species genus called Monodon and their scientific name in Monodon Monoceros.
Narwhals inhabit the cold deep waters of the Arctic Circle, mostly found in North Eastern Canada, Greenland and the Barents Sea. Baffin Bay contains about half the total species population and the Hudson Strait contains a declining population. Occasionally they will ascend rivers. Narwhals depend on ice to make breathing holes, therefor they migrate according to ice formations and melting patterns. During the spring Narwhals will penetrate receding pack-ice and in the winter they inhabit deep-water off shore. Narwhals are predators who consume pelagic fish, squid, shrimp and various bottom dwellers on the seabed.
Narwhals have a distinct body shape compared to other whales. They lack a dorsal …show more content…
Three threats surround narwhals, Inuit hunters, their ivory tusks and climate change. The Inuit are the indigenous people of the arctic regions, narwhals are hunted by them and used as subsistence food. Regulations have been placed on hunting narwhals were the whole body must be used and some countries even completely prohibit hunting of narwhals for any reason. Their tusk, like that of the rhinos and elephants are made of ivory. Since the 1970s the price of ivory has increased and it continues to rise today. The big issue that is not only affecting them is climate change. Climate fluctuations and temperature changes have limited their habitat range. These climate changes cause ice to form fast which in turn traps narwhals and prevents them from creating a breathing
Narwhals inhabit the cold deep waters of the Arctic Circle, mostly found in North Eastern Canada, Greenland and the Barents Sea. Baffin Bay contains about half the total species population and the Hudson Strait contains a declining population. Occasionally they will ascend rivers. Narwhals depend on ice to make breathing holes, therefor they migrate according to ice formations and melting patterns. During the spring Narwhals will penetrate receding pack-ice and in the winter they inhabit deep-water off shore. Narwhals are predators who consume pelagic fish, squid, shrimp and various bottom dwellers on the seabed.
Narwhals have a distinct body shape compared to other whales. They lack a dorsal …show more content…
Three threats surround narwhals, Inuit hunters, their ivory tusks and climate change. The Inuit are the indigenous people of the arctic regions, narwhals are hunted by them and used as subsistence food. Regulations have been placed on hunting narwhals were the whole body must be used and some countries even completely prohibit hunting of narwhals for any reason. Their tusk, like that of the rhinos and elephants are made of ivory. Since the 1970s the price of ivory has increased and it continues to rise today. The big issue that is not only affecting them is climate change. Climate fluctuations and temperature changes have limited their habitat range. These climate changes cause ice to form fast which in turn traps narwhals and prevents them from creating a breathing