{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "narwhal",
  "name": "Narwhal",
  "scientificName": "Monodon monoceros",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The narwhal is an Arctic whale famous for the long, spiraled tusk that grows from the head of most males. The tusk is actually an enlarged tooth packed with nerves. Narwhals live year-round in the icy waters of the Arctic, reach about 5 m (16 ft) excluding the tusk, and can live 50 years or more.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Artiodactyla",
    "family": "Monodontidae",
    "genus": "Monodon"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1600,
    "lengthM": 5,
    "topSpeedKmh": 10,
    "lifespanYears": 50
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Monodon monoceros"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (fish, squid, shrimp)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Arctic oceans and ice-edge waters"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "50+ years"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "800–1,600 kg (1,800–3,500 lb)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "4–5.5 m (13–18 ft) excluding tusk"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia, with the largest numbers around Baffin Bay.",
    "continents": [
      "North America",
      "Europe",
      "Asia",
      "Oceans"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "Lowry, L. et al. (2017). Monodon monoceros. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Monodon monoceros. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Monodon_monoceros/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Nowak, R. M. (1999). Walker's Mammals of the World (6th ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.",
      "url": null
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/narwhal/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/narwhal/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}