Head to head
Narwhal vs Beluga Whale
The narwhal and the beluga are the only two members of the family Monodontidae, the "white whales," and they live side by side in the Arctic. The beluga is the pale, flexible-necked, chattering "sea canary"; the narwhal is the mottled grey whale with a single spiralled tusk.
| Narwhal | Beluga Whale | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Monodontidae | Monodontidae |
| Length | 4–5.5 m (not counting the tusk) | 3.5–5.5 m |
| Colour | Mottled grey; pale with age | Uniform white as an adult; grey as a calf |
| Tusk | One spiralled tusk to ~3 m (usually males) | None |
| Neck | Fused, like most whales | Unfused — can nod and turn its head |
| Dorsal fin | None (a low ridge) | None (a low ridge) |
| Range | High Arctic Atlantic — Canada, Greenland, Svalbard, Russia | Circumpolar Arctic and sub-Arctic; enters rivers |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern (some populations Endangered) |
Narwhal vs Beluga: common questions
What is the narwhal's tusk actually for?
It is a sensory organ and a sexual signal. The tusk is packed with millions of nerve endings and can detect changes in the surrounding water; males also cross tusks in "tusking" displays and use tusk size to establish rank. Recent footage shows narwhals using the tusk to tap and stun fish before eating them.
Can narwhals and belugas interbreed?
Yes. A skull found in Greenland and later confirmed by DNA in 2019 was a first-generation "narluga" — the offspring of a female narwhal and a male beluga. It had an unusual set of teeth intermediate between the two. Such hybrids appear to be rare.
Why is the beluga called the sea canary?
Because of its constant, varied, high-pitched vocalisations — clicks, whistles, chirps, and squeals — that are loud enough to be heard through a boat hull. Belugas are among the most vocal of all whales, and their flexible face can also form a range of visible "expressions."