Where do narwhals live: range overview
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Narwhals are exclusively Arctic animals, and their range is centered on the Atlantic side of that region. The largest concentrations are found in the Canadian Arctic, the waters between Canada and Greenland, and along both coasts of Greenland, including the Baffin Bay region. Smaller numbers occur in the seas north of Russia and around Svalbard.
Narwhals are largely absent from the Pacific Arctic and are never found in the Antarctic. This makes their distribution notably restricted compared with some other marine mammals, as they remain tied to the cold, ice-influenced waters of the high north throughout their lives.
Within their range, narwhals move seasonally, spending summers in coastal areas and shifting to deeper offshore waters during winter. Regardless of season, they remain closely associated with Arctic conditions, and their range does not extend into warmer or more southerly seas.
Sources: IUCN Red List — Narwhal (Monodon monoceros); NOAA Fisheries — Narwhal. Educational information only. See our sources & fact-check policy.
Frequently asked questions
Core range of the where do narwhals live: range overview?
Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Baffin Bay region
Never found of the where do narwhals live: range overview?
Antarctic; largely absent from Pacific Arctic
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