Newfoundland and Labrador
Narwhal whales


Narwhal whale: 4.7 meters; 1.6 tons

The amazing narwhal whale (Monodon monoceros) spends its winter home among the pack ice of the eastern Artic. Narwhals have a cylindrical body, a gray back with white blotches and no dorsal fin.


This narwhal whale was spotted in June 2003 in Conception Bay hanging around an iceberg and interacting with boats and motors.

The 2-meter long, spiraled tusk of male Narwhals grows from a tooth and can weigh up to 10 kilograms. The tusk may be used for male combat in competition for females. Polar bears hunt Narwhals from the pack ice and killer whales prey on them in open water. They are rarely seen in Newfoundland waters. One that we know about came south in 1987 and was trapped by heavy pack ice in a small open lead in Springdale from March to April. An icebreaker freed it.



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