Are narwhals real?
Many children and adults alike grew up believing that narwhals existed.
They were often depicted even in Disney movies along with unicorns.
The fact that they also have a protruding tusk made them seem just as magical.
For many years, there was speculation over whether or not narwhals really existed because of their odd looks.
However, some animals actually do have this kind of protrusion even if it is not a tusk.
The narwhal belongs to the species of whales that are more commonly known as “toothed whales“.
They are also marine mammals.
This means they are warm-blooded, breathe air through lungs, give birth to their young alive, and feed milk to their young.
Unlike other toothed whales, narwhals cannot echolocate; they use the sensory organ in their forehead known as a melon to sense sound waves and find prey.
This organ is very sensitive because it has fatty tissue like that of human lips.
Since it’s located on top of its head, it is not protected by bones like in human noses.
Narwhal Distribution and Habits
Narwhals live in the very cold Arctic Ocean.
It is thought that they migrate to where ever their food sources are.
They spend most of their time alone or with their mother while very young, but once they reach adulthood they tend to be solitary animals except during mating season.
There are thought to be over 100,000 narwhals worldwide.
A Narwhal’s Tusk
In the past, there was much speculation about whether or not narwhals were real.
Their tusk was thought to have magical powers that could purify water and cure diseases.
The tusks are usually only on the males, and they continue to grow throughout a narwhal’s life.
Many people thought that the tusk was a horn because it has a twisted helical shape which made it resemble a ram’s horn.
It is believed that this protrusion comes from an ancestor of the narwhal who developed a tooth that grew into its strange appearance today.
Some scientists believe that it functions as a kind of antenna since it has nerves inside of it.
This tusk is often referred to as a “tooth,” even though it’s not actually one.
It can grow several feet long and end up looking like an ivory horn on the front of their face.
There are no known animals outside of the narwhal who have a tusk like this.
In addition to being hard and full of nerve endings, the surface is ridged which gives it a very sharp edge that can cut flesh easily.
Many people wonder if narwhals are real in part because they often look unreal!
If you were to see a narwhal up close, it may be hard to believe that something this weird in real life could exist!
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