Did you happen to watch the beloved Christmas movie Elf (starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, and Zoey Deschanel) during the recent holiday season? In the beginning of the movie, there’s a scene in which a friendly narwhal surfaces and bids Buddy the Elf farewell as he begins his journey toward finding his father in New York.
As brief as this scene is, it serves as a reminder that narwhals are among the many unique-looking creatures that call the ocean home. Whether you’re familiar with narwhals or you feel some Elf-like cluelessness regarding their existence, your friends here at Harbor Breeze Cruises are here to share information about the “unicorn of the sea.”
Are Narwhals Real?
By the looks of them, narwhals sure do seem like they could pass for an animal drawn into existence by an artist with a stellar imagination. The “are narwhals real?” question is a legitimate one given their unique appearance. We’re here to tell you that, yes, narwhals are real, and they are as fascinating as you might expect!
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), a global non-profit that exists to “help animals and people thrive together,” states that the narwhal’s scientific name is Monodon monoceros, which means “one tooth, one horn” in Latin.
Where Do Narwhals Live?
It’s fitting that a narwhal made an appearance in Elf because these horned whales
do reside in waters near the North Pole! According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), “Unlike some whale species that migrate, narwhals spend their lives in the Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. Most narwhals winter for up to five months under sea ice in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait area.”
What’s Up With the Long Tusk?
A narwhal’s tusk protrudes from the top of its head and can grow up to 10 feet long. NOAA Ocean Exploration states that the tusk, which grows in a counterclockwise spiral, is what differentiates the narwhal from other toothed whales: “The narwhal is an odontocete or toothed whale, but is different from all other toothed whales in that it has no teeth in its mouth. Instead, male narwhals have a single long, straight tooth (or tusk) that protrudes two to three meters out of the upper left jaw. Females almost never have a tusk.”
National Geographic further notes that the tusk “grows right through the narwhal’s upper lip” and while scientists still aren’t certain about the exact purpose it serves, many speculate that it is used in “mating rituals or to battle rival suitors.”
Narwhal Myths
It comes as no surprise that there are many myths and legends surrounding the narwhal. An article published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art shares that “many people in the Middle Ages believed that narwhal tusks were actually unicorn horns.” In those days, unicorn horns were prized because they were said to have “healing powers.”
Unfortunately, narwhals were hunted so their tusks could be sold. The Met’s article mentions that “traders sold supposed ‘unicorn horns’ to wealthy European clients for large sums of money. Such long, spiraling narwhal tusks belonged to kings, queens, and princes, and were sometimes part of a church’s collection of precious objects.”
More Fun Facts About the Narwhal
Now that we’ve answered the questions, “Are narwhals real?” and “Where do narwhals live?”—as well as some other common questions surrounding the elusive narwhal—we’d like to share with you some additional facts, courtesy of WWF and NOAA Fisheries:
Spot a Whale With Us!
Since we take our comfortable catamarans out on the Pacific Ocean, we haven’t reported—and don’t expect to report—any narwhal sightings. We do, however, spot many other types of magnificent whales, including blue whales and gray whales.
In 2024 alone, we spotted nearly 500 fin whales, over 200 blue whales and gray whales, a little over 100 humpback whales, and almost 60 orcas! If you’re interested in joining us for a cruise this year, order your tickets online or give us a call at 562-983-6880.
From all of us at Harbor Breeze Cruises, we wish you a fantastic year ahead and we look forward to welcoming you on one of our whale-watching cruises in 2025!