Narwhals Use Their Tusks to Hunt and Play, New Drone Footage Reveals
New drone footage has captured narwhals using their famous tusks in ways never before seen — for hunting, play, and possibly even social learning, opening exciting new areas of research into these mysterious Arctic whales.
The narwhal’s scientific name, Monodon monoceros, means “one tooth, one horn” — fitting, since what looks like a horn is actually an enormous tooth that can grow up to 10 feet (3 meters) long, mainly in males. Historically thought to serve mostly for mating displays and competition, the tusk’s full purpose has remained elusive, as wild narwhals are difficult to observe.
Now, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans, working alongside Inuit communities in Nunavut, have provided the first clear evidence of narwhals actively using their tusks to hunt fish, particularly Arctic char.
Captured on drones, the footage shows narwhals stunning and manipulating fish with quick, precise movements of their tusks. In total, researchers recorded 17 distinct behaviors that offer deep insight into narwhal interactions with prey and one another.
Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the study also documents the first evidence of “exploratory-object play” in narwhals — behaviors where the animals use their tusks to investigate their surroundings or even play, demonstrating unexpected dexterity and control.
“These tusks are not just for show. Narwhals use them for foraging, exploration, and play — behaviors we had not confirmed in the wild until now,” said Greg O’Corry-Crowe, Ph.D., senior author of the study and a National Geographic Explorer.
Narwhals were observed adjusting the position of their tusks to track moving fish, sometimes competing with each other for the same prey. Interestingly, some interactions seemed social or communicative, rather than aggressive.
“I’ve studied narwhals for over a decade and have always been amazed by their tusks,” said Cortney Watt, Ph.D., co-author and researcher at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. “To actually see them using their tusks in these ways is remarkable.”
These discoveries not only reshape our understanding of narwhal behavior but also highlight how much more there is to learn about life in the rapidly changing Arctic.