Narwhal - monodon monoceros

The unicorn of the sea, except this one is a real live thing.

These are medium sized toothed whales.

It's often only the males that show this long tusk which is actually an elongated canine tooth that grows right through the Narwhal's upper lip.

No one can confirm why Narwhals have this unicorn-like feature. The only explanation is that it's prominent in mating rituals or impresses the females during courtship.

These mammals are related to Bottlenose Dolphins, Orca Whales, Belugas and Harbour Porpoises.

They have no dorsal fin, like most whales and dolphins do.

Narwhals are on average 4-6.1 metres in length.

Most commonly found in the Arctic ocean around Greenland, Canada and Russia. 

Like most dolphins, Narwhals travel in groups of 15 to 20, but have been seen in pods of hundreds or thousands, and feed on fish shrimp and squid.

They can live up to 50 years.

The Inuit people often hunt Narwhal for their long tusks and their skin, which contains high levels of vitamin C.

They are also victims of Walruses and Polar Bears.

Many Narwhals die from suffocation during the winter when the ice freezes over their breathing holes.

The Narwhal population stands at approximately 75,000 so they are near threatened and some small pods have shown signs of declining.

But, the only people allowed to hunt these whales are the Inuit people.