Waddell, V.G.; Milinkovitch, M.C.; Bérubé, M. & Stanhope, M.J. (2000). "Molecular Phylogenetic Examination of the Delphinoidea Trichotomy: Congruent Evidence from Three Nuclear Loci Indicates That Porpoises (Phocoenidae) Share a More Recent Common Ancestry with White Whales (Monodontidae) Than They Do with True Dolphins (Delphinidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 15 (2): 314–318. doi: 10.1006/mpev.1999.0751. PMID 10837160. Make your voice heard by signing petitions or writing to your elected representatives to advocate for narwhal protection. Call your local representative through the Citizen’s Climate Lobby and tell them you want green energy. a b Marcoux, M. (2011). "1". Narwhal communication and grouping behaviour: a case study in social cetacean research and monitoring (PhD). Montreal: McGill University. Finley, K.J., Miller, G.W., Davis, R. A. and Greene, C.R. (1990). Reactions of belugas, Delphinapterus leucas, and narwhals, Monodon monoceros, to ice-breaking ships in the Canadian high arctic. In T.G. Smith, D.J. St. Aubin and J.R. Geraci (eds.), Advances in research on the beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas (p. 97- 117). Canadian Bulletin of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 224. a b c d e f g h i j Macdonald, D.W.; Barrett, P. (1993). Mammals of Europe. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-09160-0.

B reed, GA., C.J. D. Matthews, M. Marcoux, J.W. Higdon, B. LeBlanc, S. D. Petersen, J. Orr, N.R. Reinhart and SH. Ferguson. (2017). Sustained disruption of narwhal habitat use and behavior in the presence of Arctic killer whales. PNAS 114: 2628–2633Abundance surveys provide important information on the size of the population and the trends over time. The last aerial surveys for narwhals in Greenland were carried out in 2019 in Inglefield Bredning and Melville Bay in Northwest Greenland. Aerial surveys for narwhals in East Greenland were planned for the area around Ittoqqortoormitt in the spring of 2020, but have been postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19.

During the summer, narwhals can be found closer to land and in shallower water than at other times of the year (Laidre et al. 2004, Heide-Jørgensen et al. 2013ab). They move into areas of the Canadian Eastern Arctic, West and East Greenland and Svalbard that are covered by landfast ice and therefore inaccessible at other times of the year. During this period, narwhals often congregate in fjords and at glacier fronts. They also form larger groups than during other periods, up to several hundred animals. Autumn Despite this overall low genetic diversity, genetic studies have found that narwhals in East Greenland are distinct from those in West Greenland, as well as from those around Svalbard (NAMMCO 2013; NAMMCO 2019). Within West Greenland, far northern (Uummannaaq) narwhals are different from those found further south. Differences are also seen between Baffin Bay, Northern Hudson Bay and East Greenland populations (Petersen et al. 2011, NAMMCO 2013). Less distinct differences have also been found between narwhals that summer in Jones Sound and the Somerset Island area (Petersen et al. 2011). Narwhal distribution and migration as recognised by the Global Review of Monodontids (Hobbs et al. 2019) a b Lowry, L.; Laidre, K.; Reeves, R. (2017). " Monodon monoceros". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T13704A50367651. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T13704A50367651.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.a b Ravetch, Adam (12 May 2017). "How narwhals use their tusks". World Wildlife Fund . Retrieved 17 May 2017.

In management area 2 – Kangerlussuaq 68°30’N to 67°N – the population assessment model estimated a small depleted aggregation (down to 27% of the historical population estimate). The number of narwhals estimated to be present in this area was considered to be so small that it was unlikely to sustain any current removals. This was particularly the case given that factors that can negatively affect small populations were not considered in the model but needed to be taken into account when determining the sustainability of the harvest (NAMMCO 2019a,b). Bastian, Dawn E.; Mitchell, Judy K. (2004). Handbook of Native American Mythology. ABC-CLIO. pp.54–55. ISBN 978-1-85109-533-9. Garde, E., Heide-Jørgensen, M.P., Hansen, S.H., Nachman, G. and Forchhammer, M.C. (2007). Age-specific growth and remarkable longevity in narwhals ( Monodon monoceros) from West Greenland as estimated by aspartic acid racemisation. Journal of Mammalogy, 88, 49-58. https://doi.org/10.1644/06-MAMM-A-056R.1 a b c Laidre, K.L. & Heide-Jørgensen, M. P. (2005). "Winter feeding intensity of narwhals". Marine Mammal Science. 21 (1): 45–57. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2005.tb01207.x. S2CID 35707989.Narwhals feed primarily on fish and squid throughout their range. Both the diet and the intensity of feeding vary seasonally. Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). (2007). Development of a Closed Area in NAFO 0A to protect Narwhal Over-Wintering Grounds, including Deep-sea Corals. DFO Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. Sci. Resp. 2007/002. https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/329004.pdf William F. Perrin; Bernd Wursig; J. G. M. 'Hans' Thewissen, eds. (2009). Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Academic Press. pp.929–30. ISBN 978-0080919935. The narwhal’s ivory spiral tusk is a truly impressive instrument. With almost 10 million nerve endings, it is an excellent sensory organ that can gather information about water pressure, temperature, and salinity. This horn actually develops from a large tooth and then protrudes through the upper lip of the skull to the left, giving it the appearance of a unicorn. Interestingly, the narwhal has two teeth. In most individuals, the second tooth usually remains undeveloped, but in very rare cases it has been known to grow into a second tusk from its skull. The narwhal is most closely related to the beluga whale. Together, these two species comprise the only extant members of the family Monodontidae, sometimes referred to as the "white whales". The Monodontidae are distinguished by their medium size (at around 4m (13.1ft) in length), pronounced melons (acoustic sensory organ), short snouts and the absence of a true dorsal fin. [10]

Prior to 1996, there had been very little fishing in NAFO Division 0A, the waters on the Canadian side of Baffin Bay. Since 1998, the Greenland halibut fishery in this area has expanded. Currently, both otter trawls and gillnets are used in this fishery. As the fishery has expanded, concerns have been raised by both DFO and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board that narwhals could be affected by removal of their primary prey species on their overwintering grounds, damage to bottom habitat by trawling, and entanglement in lost gillnets. Canada is home to a dizzying array of wildlife, both beautiful and dangerous. We’ll list some of the creatures you… The narwhal was one of many species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. [7] Its name is derived from the Old Norse word nár, meaning "corpse", in reference to the animal's greyish, mottled pigmentation, like that of a drowned sailor [8] and its summertime habit of lying still at or near the surface of the sea (called "logging"). [9] The scientific name, Monodon monoceros, is derived from Greek: "one-tooth one-horn". [8] Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). (2012b). Advice on total allowable landed catch for the Baffin Bay narwhal population. DFO Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2012/021. http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/Publications/SAR-AS/2012/2012_021-eng.html Heide-Jørgensen, M.P., Burt, L.M., Guldborg Hansen, R., Hjort Nielsen, N., Rasmussen, M., Fossette, S. and Stern, H. (2013a). The significance of the North Water Polynya to Arctic top predators. Ambio, 42, 596- 610. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-012-0357-3Melville Bay was last surveyed in 2019 and the fully corrected estimate was 4,755 animals (CV=0.77) (Hansen et al., unpublished). Previous surveys resulted in abundance estimates of 1,834 (CV=0.92, 95% CI: 396–8,500) in 2007, 915 (CV=0.44, 95% CI: 431–2,141) in 2012, and 1,768 (CV=0.39, 95% CI: 864–3,709) in 2014. Although there is a suggestion of increase in abundance since 2012, this trend is not significantly different from zero. Additionally, the distribution of sightings has remarkably changed. Where in 2007 narwhals were detected in all four surveyed strata, in 2012 narwhals were sighted in 3 out of 4 strata, in 2014 in 2 out of 4 strata, and in 2019 only in the central stratum. This decline in area usage in the coastal part of Melville Bay could be an indication of a decline in the population (Hansen et al., unpublished). Their return to wintering areas begins in late September or later, depending on when the sea ice begins to form. Autumn movements are often quite rapid although narwhals may occupy other coastal areas that remain ice-free for periods at this time of year (Heide-Jørgensen et al. 2013ab). They reach their wintering grounds by November or early December. Winter Laidre, K. L.; Heide-Jørgensen, M. P. (2005). "Arctic sea ice trends and narwhal vulnerability" (PDF). Biological Conservation. 121 (2005): 509–517. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2004.06.003. ISSN 0006-3207.