Conversations with Critters
Walk with the animals. Talk with the animals. And a whale of a tale..
Today, Critters, we have received a Special Reader Request to take a deep deep dive on the natural history of whales, generally, and the incredible Narwhal, specifically. These unique unicorns of the ocean live in Arctic waters. Please, journey with our Core Community Critters, Jasper Kitten, Chris and our Senior Shining Star as they explore the depths of this most incredible of acquatic mammals. We welcome our furbaby crew in excellent cetacean critter conversation.
Heidi: Hello, Friends! Welcome to our Furever Friday post! And many thanks for our Special Reader Request on today’s topic! A whale of a tale is in store for us, starting right now. Take it away, Critters!
Chris: What. What is a cetacean? I must google it with my toe beans.
Star: Oh, Chris, you are so proactive. What have you found?
Chris: Thank you, Star. Thank you very much. A cetacean includes what is known in the vernacular as a whale, dolphin and porpoise. The end.
Jasper: Oh no, Chris, oh no! This is not the end!
Chris: Jasper, I must return to the Couch. However, while I’m in transit from my food bowl, I’m all ears. What. Is. It. Now?
Jasper: Chris! This is only the beginning! I cry out! It bears repeating! How can I calm my Orange Self? Someone! Anyone! I beseech you!
Star: Please, Jasper. Tell us what is on your mind and in your heart.
Jasper: Thank you, Star. Thank you very much. Critters! The Narwhals are oceanic mammals. Yes! You heard that right! They are mammals and they live in the water! This is a non-starter for me. Again! It’s simply too acquatic and I could get wet. Full stop. The end.
Chris: Jasper, are you leaving the Group Chat?
Jasper: Yes! I must recuse or excuse or diffuse myself to the box spring. Yes. That’s it! Farewell.
Star: But, Jasper, there are many fascinating features and facts about Narwhals that we have still to discuss in our commitment to lifelong learning.
Jasper: And?
Chris: And we would like you to stay tuned and help us as we explore the natural history of Narwhals.
Star: Jasper? Your voice sounds kind of muffled. Almost diffuse, really.
Jasper: I said, the box spring is affording me the space and comfort that I need to proceed with the discussion on the natural history of Narwhals. The end.
Star: Thank you for the clarification on that, Jasper. Thank you very much.
Jasper: You’re welcome!
Chris: Critters, we are relieved and pleased to report that Jasper Kitten has found a way to participate with us. He is working remotely. He is safe. He is secure.
Jasper: I’m all ears.
Star: First, in addressing the natural history of Nawhals, known in the Latin Binomial naming system as Monodon monoceros, the first and foremost feature to emerge is the tusk.
Jasper: Gosh. That really is incredible, Star.
Star: The tusk itself is a tooth and can reach a length of nine feet.
Jasper: All the more reason to stay in the box spring, in my humble opinion.
Star: The tusk is mostly in males, but females can also have a tusk. It’s a spiral and has nerve endings and has tiny holes that sea water can enter. Furthermore, Narwhals are not only a species of toothed whale but the only member of the genus Monodon. Their closest living relative is the beluga whale. The end.
Jasper: Gosh. Chris, what other facts have you discovered in your googling?
Chris: A couple of things, Critters. Narwhals travel in groups of four or five, but congregate in groups up to one thousand in the summer. They also have a gestation period of fifteen months. The end.
Star: That’s a significant difference from dogs and cats with our sixty-three day gestations.
Jasper: I’ll say. Yet, as we learned in an earlier post, African Elephants have a gestation period of twenty-two months.
Star: Gosh, both are a long time, but Narwhals are born seven months earlier than elephants. Incredible.
Chris: Yes, a considerable and impressive amount of time. Narwhals also communicate through vocalizations of clicks, whistles and knocks.
Jasper: What about tapping tapping? Do they use their tusks for that?
Chris: Good question. Although, there are no observations of such tusk tapping tapping behavior in the wild, much remains unknown about Narwhals and their tusks.
Star: It is a mystery.
Jasper: Maybe their tusk is like our whiskers and helps sense their environment, even though I realize, of course of course, that the tusk is a tooth and our whiskers are hairs. Let’s share a close-up photo of a Narwhal for the edification and enjoyment of our Readers.
Star: Good visual on this tusk issue, Jasper.
Jasper: Thank you, Star. Perhaps the tusk helps with balance and navigation.
Star: Yes, perhaps. We do know that Narwhals are one of the deepest diving cetaceans and can reach depths of fifteen-hundred meters. That’s five-thousand feet deep deep.
Jasper: I’m going to dive further under cover. I’m still having a hard time finding common ground because of this acquatic lifestyle. I will continue my residency in the box spring. However, I must ask if whales were ever on land? And I’ve also heard rumor that whales and dogs are somehow related. Question mark. Question mark.
Star: Thank you for this two-fold question, Jasper.
Chris: Thank you, Jasper. I’ve been wondering the same thing, but how far back do we need to go?
Star: We must go far back in the annals of time which is even a lot for me as a Senior. Because. Whales and Canines diverged fifty million years ago from a common land ancestor. Let’s share a photo of the Pakicetus, Common Ancestor of Whales and Dogs, for the further edification and enjoyment of our Readers.
Jasper: Gosh, I don’t see much resemblance between you and a Narwhal, Star.
Chris: It’s really a stretch of the imagination and an incredible length of time, especially in Dog Years. I might need a nap soon. Like now.
Star: Of course of course. Critters, thank you for your rapt and stellar attention. May Narwhals continue to thrive in Arctic waters. Furever and ever.
Jasper: We’ll see you next time, perhaps from the deep deep recesses of the box spring.
Chris: Perhaps from the comfort of the Couch. Everyone is welcome.
Star: So stay safe, keep shining and have fun out there! The. End.
🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾
Poetry with Pets
A tusk, a whisker
Unicorn of the Ocean
Finding common ground
By Jasper Kitten, Chris and Star
Notes:
Here is our post on African Elephants featuring the photography and field notes from
:Conversations with Critters
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Thanks for this fascinating post about the unicorn of the ocean, Heidi and critters! I particularly liked the photo of the create that whales and dogs evolved from.
Very interesting learning about Narwhals! Those diving depths are pretty incredible. Also, very cool to know about their tusk as being a tooth!