Return of the Narwals, unicorn of the Sea , to Irish Waters

Narwal in calmer waters

Great to see the Narwal's making a return to Irish water's , where a small pod were photographed this morning off the north coast of Cork .

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The narwhal, or narwhale, (Monodon monoceros) is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in northen waters. One of two living species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the beluga whale, narwhal males are distinguished by a long, straight, helical tusk, actually an elongated upper left canine.  the narwhal is a uniquely specialized Arctic predator. In the winter, it feeds on benthic prey, mostly flatfish, at depths of up to 1500 m under dense pack ice.Narwhals have been harvested for over a thousand years by Inuit people in northern Canada and Greenland for meat and ivory, and a regulated subsistence hunt continues to this day. While populations appear stable, the narwhal is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to a narrow geographical range and specialized diet.

Narwal pod , pic from www.eloka-arctic.org