Unveiling the Secrets of Narwhals: Extraordinary Drone Footage Showcases the Fascinating Purpose of Their Tusks

Have you ever wondered what narwhals do with their long tusks? These fascinating Arctic whales, known for their unique spiral tusks, are not just swimming around in the icy waters; they have some impressive skills. Their tusks can grow up to 10 feet long and have baffled scientists for years.

Researchers have long thought that these tusks might play a role in mate selection, but many details remained a mystery. Studying narwhals is tricky because they live in hard-to-reach areas. So far, we knew little about how they socialize or adapt to their environment.

Recently, a team from Florida Atlantic University and Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans used drones to get a closer look. They worked with Inuit communities in Nunavut, capturing stunning footage of narwhals in their natural habitat. This new perspective revealed 17 previously unknown behaviors.

One of the biggest surprises? Narwhals use their tusks for hunting! Researchers found the first evidence of narwhals using their tusks to hunt Arctic char fish. They strike the fish with enough force to stun or even kill them. Besides hunting, narwhals also use their tusks to explore their surroundings and play with fellow narwhals.

Greg O’Corry-Crowe, a leading researcher, explained that they already knew narwhals raised their tusks in the water, likely to show off or assess each other. However, these new findings show that tusks serve multiple purposes, including finding food and playful interactions.

The footage hints that narwhals might also use their tusks to sense changes in the water, like temperature and salinity, which can be crucial for hunting and navigating icy waters.

In a surprising discovery, researchers saw narwhals playing with a fish, nudging and pushing it without eating it. This suggests that narwhals might have unique personalities, with different individuals using their tusks in various ways.

Dr. Cortney Watt, another researcher on the team, expressed how thrilling it is to observe these behaviors. The research offers a rare bird’s-eye view of narwhals that scientists have never seen before.

You can read the full study published in Frontiers in Marine Science for more insights into the behaviors of these enchanting creatures.