New research from an international project has revealed surprising aspects of the behavior of narwhals, Arctic right whales that, in addition to using their unique tusks for mating displays, also use them for food. A collaboration between scientists from Florida Atlantic University, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Inuit communities has captured on drone footage how these whales use their long tusks to hunt Arctic char. They even use them to stun or kill fish.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, also looks at signs of playful behavior in narwhals. The whales interact with objects, investigate them and seem to engage in games, which also shows their high level of social activity.
Seventeen different behaviors were recorded during the observations, including interactions between narwhals, fish, and birds, such as attempts at kleptoparasitism when seagulls attempted to steal prey from the whales.
These observations suggest that narwhals not only have highly developed hunting skills, but also play an important role in adapting to environmental changes. Whales, because of their social learning ability, can adapt to changing Arctic conditions, making their behavior even more flexible and dependent on climate change.
Modern technologies such as drones provide a unique opportunity to non-invasively study these enigmatic animals in their natural habitat. This allows not only a deeper understanding of their behavior, but also the importance of caring for animals, especially in the face of climate change, which is affecting food availability and Arctic sea ice conditions.