PREVIEW

The mystery behind the narwhal’s legendary tusk has finally been revealed - thanks to stunning drone footage that shows the elusive Arctic whales using their long, spiralled teeth in ways scientists never imagined.

Narwhals are known for their distinctive tusks - essentially giant teeth - that can grow up to 10 feet long. Experts have long suspected they play a role in mating, but their true purpose remained a mystery. The challenge? Narwhals are incredibly elusive, living in some of the most remote and frigid waters on Earth, making them notoriously difficult to study.

Now, a breakthrough study has revealed exactly what these tusks are used for - and the results are jaw-dropping. Scientists from Florida Atlantic University and Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans teamed up with Inuit communities in Canada’s High Arctic, using drones equipped with high-definition cameras to observe these enigmatic creatures in action.

The footage captured 17 distinct behaviours, some never seen before - including the first-ever evidence of narwhals using their tusks to hunt. The whales were filmed striking Arctic char with their tusks, stunning them before devouring their prey. In other clips, the animals were seen using their tusks to probe their surroundings, search for food, and even engage in what appears to be play.

“Narwhals are known for their ‘tusking’ behaviour, where two or more of them simultaneously raise their tusks almost vertically out of the water, crossing them in what may be a ritualistic behaviour to assess a potential opponent’s qualities or to display those qualities to potential mates,” said Greg O’Corry-Crowe, Ph.D., senior author of the study and a National Geographic Explorer.

“But now we know that narwhal tusks have other uses, some quite unexpected, including foraging, exploration, and play.”

Even more astonishingly, researchers believe narwhals may also use their tusks to detect changes in water temperature and salinity - an adaptation that could help them navigate the treacherous Arctic waters and enhance their hunting skills.

In a truly bizarre moment, scientists observed three narwhals nudging, pushing, and seemingly ‘playing’ with a fish without eating it. This unexpected behaviour suggests that, just like humans, narwhals might have individual personalities and even play for fun.

“I have been studying narwhals for over a decade and have always marvelled at their tusks,” said Cortney Watt, Ph.D., co-author and research scientist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

“To observe them using their tusks for foraging and play is remarkable. This unique study, where we set up a remote field camp and filmed narwhals with drones, is providing incredible insights into their behaviour that we’ve never seen before.”

The research was published in Frontiers in Marine Science.