After centuries of mystery, we’ve solved the mystery of narwhal tusks and now know what “the unicorn of the sea” uses its most distinctive feature for.

Narwhal tusks have long baffled marine biologists , who ’ve made just guesses at what this one - of - a - kind feature might do . Some thought that it was used in echo sounding , or to break through ice , or to battle with rivals for mates .

However , newly released drone footage of a narwhal in action reveals the ivory ’s ( actually a tooth — one that can make nine feet in distance ) true purpose once and for all .

The video — captured by the World Wildlife Fund in Tremblay Sound near Nunavut , Canada — usher a narwhal using its tusk to stun its fair game before eating it . Yes , in the remnant , the narwhal ’s tusk is intend for the rather unsurprising task of immobilise fish during a hunt .

As ego - unmistakable as that may seem now , scientists were indeed confounded , or at least uncertain , for hundreds of years .

“ Previously we consider that narwhals used their tusk to joust with rivals and avail them mate , or even a machine for echolocation,”said WWF ’s Rod Downie , “ but this newfangled footage shows a behaviour that has never been get wind before . ”

And why were scientist mistaken , or at least in the dark , for so long ? As Downie order , “ The narwhal is one of the least studied animals because it is so hard to get to the Arctic area where it lives . So drones are helping us learn its behaviour . ”

Furthermore , these creatures may become even harder to study , given that there are now only 110,000 of them left in the natural state and that their north-polar home ground are only getting warmer and warmer .

Thus , the WWF hopes that this video and more monotone footage like it will aid researchers square off how the narwhal are adapt to clime change and how world might bestow a hand .

“ As the Arctic warms and exploitation pressure increases , it will be important to realise how narwhal are using their home ground during their one-year migration , ” say WWF - Canada President David Miller . “ With this info in hand , we can work to minimize the effects of human activities on narwhal . ”

After this look at narwhal tusks , seea pair of narwal tusking . Then , discover the seven mostbizarre ocean animate being in existence .