Researchers have used drones to capture footage of what may be play behavior in narwhals, a rare and elusive Arctic animal.
Together with researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Inuit communities in Canada’s High Arctic, Cortney Watt, Ph.D., studied narwhal behavior using drones. Narwhals are famous for their long tusks, which experts believe may be used in courtship and sensing the environment.
One encounter showed a group of narwhals chasing an Arctic char fish and adjusting their speed to keep it just out of reach of their tusks. This may be the first recorded evidence of play in narwhals.
The researchers observed 17 distinct behaviors, including playing with food and interactions between narwhals. They also noted glaucous gulls trying to steal fish from the narwhals but often failing.
Drones provided a unique view of narwhal behavior, helping scientists gather data on how these animals are adapting to environmental changes caused by global warming. The study published in Frontiers in Marine Science offers new insights into the lives of these charismatic creatures.
Source: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/marine-animals/narwhal-tusk-play-arctic