Arctic

Every August, as pack ice loosens its grip along Nunavut’s eastern coastline, open leads form between the floes and narwhals move into shallow bays to feed. The window is narrow. Within weeks, freeze-up begins again and the whales retreat to deeper water. It’s one of the shortest, most weather-dependent viewing opportunities in the Arctic, and it’s exactly the kind of moment Quark Expeditions builds its Canadian High Arctic itineraries around, timing voyages through Lancaster Sound and the Northwest Passage when narwhal activity typically peaks.  The Tusk Isn’t What Most People Think  Ask most travelers for narwhal facts and the tusk comes up first, usually with a myth attached. It is not a jousting weapon, and males rarely use it in combat. The tusk is an elongated left canine tooth that can grow to roughly 2 to 3 metres, spiraling counter-clockwise, and it is embedded with millions of nerve endings. Researchers, including teams affiliated with NOAA Fisheries, have documented tusks responding to changes in water salinity, suggesting a sensory role rather than a purely combative one. Some encounters do involve males crossing tusks at the surface, but marine biologists increasingly read this as a form of communication, not conflict.  Where Do Narwhals Live, and Why Sightings Stay Rare  Narwhals are among the most habitat-specific whales on Earth. They spend the bulk of the year in the icy waters of Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, diving to significant depths to feed on Greenland halibut and Arctic cod, then migrate into the fjords and inlets of the Canadian […]