The "unicorn" in "Classic of Mountains and Seas" is actually the "indigenous people" of the Arctic Ocean?

The narwhal belongs to the Odontoceti suborder and is the only surviving species in the family Unicornis. The narwhal is named because of the "horn" on its head. In fact, this long horn is its "big bucktooth" - a specialized tusk on the left upper jaw of male individuals. In order not to affect the closure of the mouth, this tusk is pushed out of the lip in infancy and continues to grow. This tooth grows very long and resembles a "horn". It can eventually be up to 3 meters long and weigh about 10 kilograms. In fact, it is more appropriate to call it a "mono-toothed whale". The tusk is spiral-shaped. A very small number of male narwhals (about one in every 500) will also grow a tusk on the right side, forming a rare phenomenon of "double tusks". Female narwhals usually have no tusks, but about 15% of females will also grow slightly shorter tusks.

Narwhal is a medium-sized toothed whale. Ignoring its tusks, it is about 3.5 to 5.5 meters long and weighs 0.8 to 1.6 tons. Male narwhals are larger than females. Adult narwhals are grayish white with fine dark spots all over their bodies. Old narwhals are almost completely white. Juveniles are gray or light brown-gray in color, and their color gradually turns to silvery white as they age.

The body design of the narwhal is like it was born for deep-sea exploration. It has no dorsal fin, only a low fleshy bulge, like a "small backpack". The middle part of the tail fin is concave, and the two ends are protruding in a "V" shape, with the tip curled upward, which is more obvious in older individuals.

Narwhals are the "indigenous people" of the Arctic Ocean. They like to have "parties" around the fjords and islands in northern Canada, Russia and western Greenland. However, they will occasionally "visit" the Arctic waters of Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries. Narwhals are mainly active in waters of various depths near the Arctic ice belt. They are deep-water whales that can dive to a depth of 1,500 meters in one breath. They mainly feed on fish, cephalopods and crustaceans. Narwhals are out-and-out "foodies". When they hunt, they go out in groups, like a "buffet" on the seabed. And that long tooth is the "artifact" they use to stab their prey or dig out delicacies hidden in the sand.

Narwhals only surface for a short time, and may rest for a long time on the surface when hunting. During migration, they swim very fast and float on or near the surface of the sea. When the sea conditions are bad, they prefer to rest in the deep. Narwhals are seasonal breeders, usually giving birth to one calf per litter. The calf can swim after birth, but it is still raised by the female whale for a period of time.

What is the use of narwhal tusks? In addition to the functions mentioned above, some people say that it is a "radar" for detecting the seabed or a "love signal" to attract the opposite sex. However, these are just speculations! The truth may always be hidden in the deep ocean.

However, in history, narwhal tusks are very popular. As early as the Middle Ages in Europe, narwhal tusks were considered to be magic wands of immortals, and were said to have the effects of preventing diseases, curing diseases and exorcising evil spirits. Narwhal tusks were once regarded as "unicorn horns" with the power to suppress all evil. The Habsburg dynasty used them to make scepters symbolizing supreme imperial power, and Queen Elizabeth also spent a huge amount of money to buy tusks to make wine glasses, which became a symbol of royal power.

Although narwhals were once the "dominant species" in the ocean, their numbers have been greatly reduced due to factors such as overhunting and marine pollution. Currently, there are only 20,000 to 30,000 narwhals in the Arctic Ocean, of which about 10,000 live off the coast of northern Canada and northwestern Greenland.

In recent years, the research and protection of whales has attracted more and more attention from people in various countries, and narwhals have been listed as one of the protected objects. However, no strict restrictions have been introduced, and local people in northern Canada and Greenland still make a living by hunting narwhals and other sea animals. Therefore, protecting the narwhals in the Arctic Ocean is urgent.

References

[1] Cheng Zui. The Arctic's "strange beast" - the narwhal. SCHOOL Classroom[J].

[2] Tong Heyi. Rare animals in the Arctic Ocean: narwhals. Biological wonders from ancient times to the present[J].

[3] Xu Jianping. The narwhal of the elder's "Sky-Sword". Animal Stars[J].