I never knew a unicorn that could swim but there really is one.  Meet the narwhal! Sometimes it is called the “unicorn of the sea.” These creatures live in the cold waters of the Arctic, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. Narwhals love icy places and freezing temperatures. Their skin is thick and to keep them warm they also have a very thick layer of blubber. They spend much of their time under sheets of ice, surfacing through small holes to breathe. Like whales they do have a blowhole on the top of their head.

The strange looking narwhal is not a fish, but a mammal, in fact they are a toothed whale. The narwhal’s tusk is actually a tooth that grows right out of the upper lip. Can you even imagine growing a tooth that is 10 feet long? Talk about uncomfortable. Being a mammal means they breathe air, have warm blood, and feed their babies milk, just like other whales and dolphins. They travel together in a family group called a pod. They talk to each other using clicks and whistles underwater. These animals live in deep, dark waters so they use echolocation like bats. The sound waves bounce off of objects around them and helps them navigate and find food. Narwhals can dive up to a mile below the surface to catch dinner.

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For a long time, people thought narwhals used their tusks as weapons. Today, scientists and know better, the narwhal’s tusk is still one of the most mysterious wonders of the seas. Research shows the tusk is packed with millions of nerve endings. They can use the it to navigate, find food, and predict when ice is forming to avoid getting trapped.

In the Middle Ages, European traders actually sold narwhal tusks as “unicorn horns,” because people believed they had magical powers. Narwhals are magical animals that remind us that the ocean can be a special place. Sadly, melting sea ice makes their world harder to live in, so scientists are studying how to protect them.