Winner of the William Mills Prize for Non-Fiction Polar Books (2018)
Few animals on the planet inspire the sense of wonder evoked by the
narwhal. The Arctic unicorn' is everyone's version of awesome and cool.
Explorers, aristocrats, artists and scientists celebrate this elusive
whale and its extraordinary tusk. From Flemish unicorn tapestries, Inuit
legends and traditional knowledge, and the research of devoted
scientists, comes a tale of discovery reported here from the top of the
world, a place where climate change is rapidly transforming one of the
harshest environments on earth. How did the narwhal tusk become the horn
of the fabled unicorn? What treasures do the Inuit hold about this
majestic but elusive denizen? What have scientists discovered about the
function of its tusk?
Explore with whale biologists as they capture live narwhals to answer
questions of narwhal biology, migration, population and behavior. Ponder
the evolutionary history of the narwhal through paleontology and genetic
science. Contemplate the fate of northern regions, animals, and peoples
in a rapidly warming Arctic. Experience the insights and observations of
Inuit hunters who have lived with the narwhal for thousands of years.
The following pages present their views along with the latest research
in narwhal biology, art, and climate science illustrated by more than a
dozen photographers and graphic artists.
