Narwhal vs Polar Bear - Difference and Comparison

Narwhal versus Polar Bear comparison chart
	Narwhal	Polar Bear
Introduction (from Wikipedia)	The narwhal, or narwhale, is a medium-sized toothed whale and possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia.	The polar bear is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby coastal areas. It is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant land carnivore.
Kingdom	Animalia	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata	Chordata
Class	Mammalia	Mammalia
Order	Cetacea	Carnivora
Genus	Monodon	Ursus
Species	M. monoceros	U. maritimus
Scientific Name	Monodon monoceros	Ursus maritimus
Period/Epoch	The Modern Epoch	The Modern Epoch
Size	Length: 13-18 feet (4-5.5 meters)	World's largest land carnivore. Males: 8-11 ft (2.4-3.4 m) long when standing
Average Length	13-16 feet (4-4.9 meters)	7.9-9.8 feet (2.4-3 meters)
Maximum Length	Up to 18 feet (5.5 meters)	Up to 11 feet (3.5 meters)
Typical Height	Not applicable (aquatic)	4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 meters) at shoulder
Weight	Males: 1,600-3,500 pounds (800-1,600 kg); Females: 1,000-2,200 pounds (450-1,000 kg)	Males: 700-1,500 pounds (320-680 kg); Females: 400-700 pounds (180-320 kg)
Tail Length	Small, rudimentary	3-5 inches (7-13 centimeters)
Color	Grey with white spotting, becoming whiter with age	White or yellowish-white fur
Habitat	Arctic and sub-Arctic waters	Sea ice and coastal Arctic regions
Location	Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia	Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia
Range (Continental)	Arctic Ocean	Circumpolar Arctic
Reproduction	Sexual maturity: 6-9 years; Gestation period: 14-15 months; Single calf born every 3 years	Sexual maturity: 4-5 years; Mating season: April-May; Gestation: 195-265 days; Cubs: 1-4, typically twins
Social Behavior	Social, travel in pods of 10-100 individuals	Solitary, except mothers with cubs
Enemies	Polar bears, killer whales	None (apex predator)
Predators	Polar bears, killer whales	None (apex predator)
Diet	Primarily fish, squid, shrimp, and bottom-dwelling invertebrates	Primarily ringed and bearded seals; opportunistically hunts other prey
Prey and other foods	Greenland halibut, Arctic cod, cuttlefish, shrimp, armhook squid	Ringed seals, bearded seals, walrus, narwhals, beluga whales, fish, seabirds, reindeer, muskox, vegetation when available
Average food required per day	25-50 pounds (11-23 kg)	40-50 pounds (18-23 kg)
Average Lifespan	30-45 years	15-18 years in wild, up to 30 in captivity
Conservation Status	Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)	Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)
Speed	Up to 20 mph (32 km/h) in short bursts	Up to 25 mph (40 km/h) on land; 6 mph (10 km/h) when swimming
Swimming Ability	Excellent; can dive to depths over 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) and stay submerged for up to 25 minutes	Strong swimmer; can swim for days at a time; can maintain 6 mph for up to 60 miles
Cold Adaptations	Thick blubber layer (up to 4 inches/10 cm), reduced appendages, circulatory adaptations	Thick layer of blubber, dense fur with water-repellent guard hairs, small ears and tail to reduce heat loss, black skin to absorb heat
Bite Force	Unknown	1,200 psi (pounds per square inch)
Distinctive Features	Long spiral tusk in males (8-10 feet/2.4-3 meters); absent or smaller in females	White fur, large size, powerful build, elongated neck and head
Tusk Information	Elongated upper left canine tooth that grows throughout life in a spiral pattern; contains millions of nerve endings; used for sensing environmental conditions, breaking ice, possibly for male dominance displays	Not applicable
Teeth and Jaws	Typically only two teeth; in males, the left tooth usually develops into the spiral tusk, while the right tooth remains embedded in the skull; females rarely develop tusks; lack functional teeth in mouth for feeding	42 teeth, including large canines and strong molars; jaws spread wider apart than other bears
Brain size	Approximately 2.6-3.3 pounds (1.2-1.5 kg)	About 1.1 pounds (498 grams)

Introduction (from Wikipedia)

The narwhal, or narwhale, is a medium-sized toothed whale and possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia.

The polar bear is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby coastal areas. It is the largest extant bear species, as well as the largest extant land carnivore.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Cetacea

Carnivora

Genus

Monodon

Ursus

Species

M. monoceros

U. maritimus

Scientific Name

Monodon monoceros

Ursus maritimus

Period/Epoch

The Modern Epoch

Size

Length: 13-18 feet (4-5.5 meters)

World's largest land carnivore. Males: 8-11 ft (2.4-3.4 m) long when standing

Average Length

13-16 feet (4-4.9 meters)

7.9-9.8 feet (2.4-3 meters)

Maximum Length

Up to 18 feet (5.5 meters)

Up to 11 feet (3.5 meters)

Typical Height

Not applicable (aquatic)

4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 meters) at shoulder

Weight

Males: 1,600-3,500 pounds (800-1,600 kg); Females: 1,000-2,200 pounds (450-1,000 kg)

Males: 700-1,500 pounds (320-680 kg); Females: 400-700 pounds (180-320 kg)

Tail Length

Small, rudimentary

3-5 inches (7-13 centimeters)

Color

Grey with white spotting, becoming whiter with age

White or yellowish-white fur

Habitat

Arctic and sub-Arctic waters

Sea ice and coastal Arctic regions

Location

Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia

Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia

Range (Continental)

Arctic Ocean

Circumpolar Arctic

Reproduction

Sexual maturity: 6-9 years; Gestation period: 14-15 months; Single calf born every 3 years

Sexual maturity: 4-5 years; Mating season: April-May; Gestation: 195-265 days; Cubs: 1-4, typically twins

Social Behavior

Social, travel in pods of 10-100 individuals

Solitary, except mothers with cubs

Enemies

Polar bears, killer whales

None (apex predator)

Predators

Polar bears, killer whales

None (apex predator)

Diet

Primarily fish, squid, shrimp, and bottom-dwelling invertebrates

Primarily ringed and bearded seals; opportunistically hunts other prey

Prey and other foods

Greenland halibut, Arctic cod, cuttlefish, shrimp, armhook squid

Ringed seals, bearded seals, walrus, narwhals, beluga whales, fish, seabirds, reindeer, muskox, vegetation when available

Average food required per day

25-50 pounds (11-23 kg)

40-50 pounds (18-23 kg)

Average Lifespan

30-45 years

15-18 years in wild, up to 30 in captivity

Conservation Status

Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)

Speed

Up to 20 mph (32 km/h) in short bursts

Up to 25 mph (40 km/h) on land; 6 mph (10 km/h) when swimming

Swimming Ability

Excellent; can dive to depths over 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) and stay submerged for up to 25 minutes

Strong swimmer; can swim for days at a time; can maintain 6 mph for up to 60 miles

Cold Adaptations

Thick blubber layer (up to 4 inches/10 cm), reduced appendages, circulatory adaptations

Thick layer of blubber, dense fur with water-repellent guard hairs, small ears and tail to reduce heat loss, black skin to absorb heat

Bite Force

Unknown

1,200 psi (pounds per square inch)

Distinctive Features

Long spiral tusk in males (8-10 feet/2.4-3 meters); absent or smaller in females

White fur, large size, powerful build, elongated neck and head

Tusk Information

Elongated upper left canine tooth that grows throughout life in a spiral pattern; contains millions of nerve endings; used for sensing environmental conditions, breaking ice, possibly for male dominance displays

Not applicable

Teeth and Jaws

Typically only two teeth; in males, the left tooth usually develops into the spiral tusk, while the right tooth remains embedded in the skull; females rarely develop tusks; lack functional teeth in mouth for feeding

42 teeth, including large canines and strong molars; jaws spread wider apart than other bears

Brain size

Approximately 2.6-3.3 pounds (1.2-1.5 kg)

About 1.1 pounds (498 grams)

Narwhal vs. Polar Bear