These narwhal facts for kids are sure to entertain “kids” from ages two to one hundred!
‘Whale’ hello there! You will ‘whaley’ love learning about these magical, not-so-mythical creatures- the narwhal!
We hope you have a whale of a time learning unique facts, punny jokes, and discovering the wonder of the elusive narwhal! Narwhal facts are a great addition to circle time, a trip to the aquarium, or an ocean preschool theme.
Invite your children to learn about other ocean animals with these fun ocean songs and books too!
Head over to our preschool store for our preschool ocean lesson plans. For toddler ideas, check out our toddler store for under the sea lesson plans and activities!
One of our favorite sources of animal facts is the Wild Animal Babies book by the creator of Preschool Inspirations. Our favorite narwhal friend is featured for the letter ‘N’! The adorable book is suitable for all ages and combines fun animal facts with charming illustrations. Children will delight in seeing baby animals interact with their parents and siblings in their natural habitats while they also learn the alphabet.
Narwhal Facts for Kids
They may be the closest thing we have to a unicorn but these unusual whales are also tricky to find! We hope you ‘whale’ stick around for these super interesting narwhal facts!
What do Narwhals Look Like?
Narwhals belong to the whale family which makes them mammals. Narwhals and Beluga whales belong to the same family of whales. The narwhal is best known for its tusk—a long, spiraled tooth that usually only the males grow. That long tusk is why narwhals are called the unicorns of the sea!
All narwhals have two teeth in their upper jaw. When a male narwhal turns one year old, its left tooth begins to grow outward in a spiral through its upper jaw.
Scientists discovered that the tusk can be compared to an inside-out tooth. It is soft on the outside and incredibly sensitive to salt content and water temperature.
Surprisingly, scientists are not certain what the narwhal’s tusk is used for. There are some predictions: perhaps it is a weapon used for dominance, poking through the frozen ice, or directing their sonar to reach other whales.
Where do Narwhals Live?
Narwhals live in very cold, icy water! They live in the Arctic seas frequently around the areas of Greenland, Northern Russia, and Northeastern Canada.
These unique whales travel in groups. Some groups are as small as 5-10 or as large as 100 whales!
What do Narwhals Eat?
Narwhals hunt under ice and like to eat fish, shrimp, and squid. They suck in their prey when they get close, like a vacuum! Their tusk is not used for hunting; however, narwhals have been known to tap their prey with their tusk to startle them and then gobble them up!
Amazing Narwhal Facts for Kids
- Narwhals change color as they grow older. Babies are a blue-gray color, young narwhals are blue-black, adults are gray, and old narwhals are almost completely white.
- Only male narwhals have a tusk. Occasionally, females will grow a small tusk but will lose it eventually. Some males even grow a double tusk!
- A narwhal’s tusk can be up to 9 feet long and weigh more than 22 pounds!
- Narwhal can dive really deep into the ocean! They are one of the deepest diving sea mammals – they can dive up to 5,000 feet deep!
- Narwhals can live to be 50 years old.
Narwhal Jokes
Q: What do you call a narwhal that won’t listen?
A: An ignarwhal.
Q: Why are narwhals good at meeting new friends?
A: They are great at breaking the ice.
Thanks for joining us and learning interesting facts about narwhals!
If you and your kids are curious for more animal facts, check out these other posts:
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- Ladybug Facts for Kids
- Spider Facts for Preschoolers
- Bear Facts for Kids
- Giraffe Facts for Kids
- Sloth Facts for Kids
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