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Cinematographer captures ‘magical’ narwhal whales in Arctic after 15 years of dreaming to see them live

Otherworldly narwhal whales stay mostly in Arctic waters with their long tusks that encourage comparisons with unicorns.

BY SOMDATTA MAITY

PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO

Narwhal male whales. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by CoreyFord)

The world is filled with stunning creatures, some of which have mostly evaded human notice. One among them is the narwhal (Monodon monoceros), according to Discover Wildlife. Their features are so unique that they attract otherworldly comparisons, as many believe the myth of the unicorn comes from these animals. These whales live in such remote locations that they do not typically appear in front of humans. However, cinematographer Martin Gregus (@mywildlive) is one of the few lucky ones who have seen them, not just once but multiple times. Gregus shared one of his encounters with a narwhal on his social media.

A pod of narwhals. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons | Photo by Dr. Kristin Laidre, Polar Science Center, UW NOAA/OAR/OER) — A pod of narwhals. (Image Source:Wikimedia Commons | Photo by Dr. Kristin Laidre, Polar Science Center, UW NOAA/OAR/OER)

Why are narwhals so special?

Narwhals are often called "unicorns of the sea," according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Their otherworldly feature is the long tusk that erupts from their heads, which is what makes them so special. According to the records, there are around 80,000 narwhals in the world. They are massive and can weigh around 4,200 pounds, reaching a maximum length of 17 feet. Their noteworthy tusk mostly grows on the males. It is an enlarged tooth with some sort of sensory functionality, carrying around 10 million nerve endings inside, and it can grow to around 10 feet. Some male narwhals can exhibit two tusks together, while some males can also live their entire lives without one.

Narwhal whales live in social groups called pods and live in the Arctic Ocean and males have tusks. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | CoreyFord)

The sighting of narwhals

Narwhal whales do not migrate from one spot to another. They spend their whole lives in the Arctic waters of Russia, Norway, Greenland, and Canada. It is not easy for people to see these "unicorns" in their natural element. Gregus showed his followers these marvelous creations from the comfort of their homes by sharing a video featuring several narwhals in the Arctic waters.

The caption did not mention where exactly they came together. Gregus labeled them as "magical" and "ones that have lived in my dreams and imagination for over 15 years." The cinematographer first learned about these elusive creatures from Inuits and networks like BBC, Netflix, and National Geographic. Since then, he wanted to participate in a project that allowed him to come closer to them. After several attempts, he and his team managed to film narwhals for the first time in 2023. Now that he knows how these creatures move in their habitat, the cinematographer spends a few weeks every summer filming and interacting with them.

Narwhal, male Monodon monoceros swimming in the ocean. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | dottedhippo)

Is a narwhal extinct or endangered?

Even though narwhal whales are elusive, it does not mean that human development is not hurting them the same way, as it is impacting other whale species. Oil and gas projects, along with climate change, are damaging their habitats, according to the experts. More development also brings with it more ship vessels, increasing the chances of damaging collisions. Moreover, the narwhal whale population hovers around 75,000, making it "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as reported by Save Animals From Extinction. As of now, narwhals are neither extinct nor endangered. However, they face several survival threats that may affect their numbers in the future.