Honorary Unicorn: The Majestic Narwhal

While there is much debate over the existence of the unicorns described in accounts of natural history and mythology dating back over 2,000 years, one thing is certain: there are many naturally occurring, single-horned animals.

These single-horned animals are known as monocerotes, from the Greek term for unicorn, monoceros, but I like to think of them as "honorary unicorns."

The Unicorn Daily News will occasionally feature one of these honorary unicorns in our daily news bulletins, so make sure to visit often – you don't want to miss out on these amazing creatures!

And now, we present to you, our first featured honorary unicorn: The Majestic Narwhal!

Image credit: National Institute of Standards and Technology (www.nist.gov).

The male narwhal technically does not have a horn, but a very long tooth - 7-10 feet (2-3 meters) in length - that protrudes from its upper jaw. These unicorns of the sea are found in Arctic waters, where they thrive on halibut, shrimp, cod, and squid. The narwhal "horn" does not have magical healing powers, but it is used by male narwhals in displays of dominance to reinforce their social hierarchies. Fascinating!!