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Narwhal Tusks

See our galleries of individual narwhal tusks for sale below.

Please see more information on how to order these items, shipping, and import/export controls on the Ordering page.

There are a few hundred tusks from narwhal that are legally killed for food each year by the Inuit in northern Canada.  The narwhal hunt also offers a strong bonding experience for members of the community and the sale of the tusks benefits the hunters.

Tusks that are not used in the local communities for arts and crafts are often available for sale in Canada or for export with the proper permits to most countries other than the United States.  There is no commercial hunting of narwhals.  Permission to hunt a narwhal is only granted to an Inuk with the understanding that the meat from the animal must not be wasted.  It is illegal for someone other than an Inuk to hunt narwhal. We buy our tusks from Arctic Canada.

We will not buy or sell narwhal tusks from communities that do not have a Non-Detriment Finding (NDF) with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.  Here is a list of communities that do not have a NDF for 2012:

  • Grise Fiord - Parry Channel
    Jones Sound
    Smith Sound

Our supplies of tusks in various lengths and grades vary during the course of the year.  The price of the tusks varies with the length, shape, overall appearance, and quality of the tip.

The rare tusks are unique tusks that are not typical narwhal tusks. These include baby narwhal embedded teeth, double tusks, and tusks with special features that we rarely come across.

The #1 quality tusks are the best available.  They are mostly straight, have good color, a nice spiral, and a good or naturally worn tip.  These tusks are frequently out of stock for much of the year because of the limited supply and the high demand for the best tusks available.  The hunt takes place each summer and the tusks are brought down by ship at the end of the summer.  The fresh supplies of tusks usually arrive in November or December.

The #2 quality tusks are still nice, but may have a slight bend, less pronounced spiral, and a rounded or worn or worked tip.  They look great but are not as nice as the #1 quality.

The #3 craft quality tusks may have a significant bend and/or a broken tip.  They can be used for decoration, teaching, or cut up for craft projects.

We do not have small pieces laying around to sell for craft projects.  Sometimes we may have a tusk that was broken into multiple pieces.  We only stock full tusks with tags.

Please see more information on how to order these items, shipping, and import/export controls on the Ordering page.

Please click here to see pictures of tusks that we have sold in the past.

Order Code Description Price
CR-156-Gxx Narwhal Tusk:Gallery See gallery below
CR-156-Gxx Narwhal Tusk:Gallery of Rare and Unique Tusks See gallery below

Genus and species:  Monodon monoceros.  Wild.  CITES Appendix II.

Native American Product of Canada

See More Information Below the Galleries

Gallery of Sale Pending Tusks

Selection Process

Inspection in Toronto

Care of the Tusks

Cleaning Tusks

What are Narwhal Tusks used for?

Using Tusks for Arts and Crafts and Other Legal Questions

Genus and Species

FAQ and Notes on Tusks

The Illegal Trade in Narwhal Tusks

Why do we Sell Narwhal Tusks?

Gallery of Narwhal Tusks In Stock and Ready for Sale

Exportable with the proper permits to most countries other than Australia, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, U.K., and U.S.A.

You get the exact tusk shown when ordering by number.

If they are not marked sold or sale pending, the are most likely available. Tusks marked SALE PENDING are essentially sold and are just awaiting permits for export.

The tusks are listed below in order by marine mammal tag or cable tag number, not size or price.

Narwhal Tusk

Order Code: CR-156-G1399

Exportable.

Length: 232 cm, 91.3”, 7'7"

Weight: 5.69 kg, 12.54 lbs.

Price: C$19,500.00 or converted to US$14,444.44 at fx=1.35

See photos of one side of the tusk: Side 1, Side 2, Side 3, Side 4, Side 5

See photos of the other side of the tusk: Side 1, Side 2, Side 3, Side 4, Side 5

See the base of the tusk: View 1

See more close up views of the tusk on one side: View 1, View 2, View 3, View 4, View 5, View 6, View 7, View 8, View 9, View 10, View 11, View 12

See more close up views of the tusk on the other side: View 1, View 2, View 3, View 4, View 5, View 6, View 7, View 8, View 9, View 10, View 11, View 12, View 13

Narwhal Tusk

Order Code: CR-156-G0483

Exportable.

This is one of the longest tusks we have encountered.

Sex: Male

Length: 254 cm, 100”, 8’4”
Width at middle: 4.5 cm, 1.75”
Width at base: 4 cm, 1.6”

Weight: 6.38 kg, 14.07 lbs.

Price: C$45,000.00 or converted to US$33,333.33 at fx=1.35

See photos of one side of the tusk: Side 1, Side 2, Side 3, Side 4, Side 5, Side 6, Side 7, Side 8, Side 9

See photos of the other side of the tusk: Side 1, Side 2, Side 3, Side 4, Side 5, Side 6

See the base of the tusk: View 1

 

Gallery of Rare and Unique Narwhal Tusks In Stock and Ready for Sale

Exportable with the proper permits to most countries other than Australia, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, U.K., and U.S.A.

You get the exact tusk shown when ordering by number.

If they are not marked sold or sale pending, the are most likely available. Tusks marked SALE PENDING are essentially sold and are just awaiting permits for export.

The tusks are listed below in order by marine mammal tag or cable tag number, not size or price.

Double Narwhal Tusks Mounted on a Board

Order Code: CR-156-G8437 and 8438

Exportable.

Approximate Length of Both Tusks: 240 cm, 94.5”, 7'10"

Price: C$75,000.00 or converted to US$55,555.56 at fx=1.35

Double Baby Narwhal Embedded Teeth

Order Code: CR-156-G5001

Exportable.

This is an extremely rare pair of baby narwhal embedded teeth. They are from the 2008 season. These are sold as a set only.

According to CITES Canada and Fisheries & Oceans, tusks that have not penetrated the skin are considered to be embedded teeth and not tusks.

Length of Both Teeth: 19.7 cm or 7.75"
Width at Middle of Both Teeth: 1.3 cm or 0.5"
Width at Base: 1.9 cm or 0.75" and 1.3 cm or 0.5"
Weight of Both Teeth: 0.1 kilograms or 0.2 pounds

Sex: Female

Price: C$3,640.00 or converted to US$2,696.30 at fx=1.35

Unique Narwhal Tusk

Order Code: CR-156-G6182

Exportable.

After a lifetime of handling narwhal tusks a dealer said that he had "never seen such a weird tusk." Most tusks are more or less straight. Some tusks have a spiral to them. This tusk is unique in the way it is twisted. The tusk is currently in the owner's personal collection, but is available for sale.

Length: 148 cm or 58.3" or 4'10"
Width at Middle: 3.8 cm or 1.5"
Width at Base: 5.1 cm or 2"
Weight: 2.68 kilograms or 5.91 pounds

Sex: Male

Price: C$4,550.00 or converted to US$3,370.37 at fx=1.35

 

Selection Process

We individually inspect and select all the tusks we offer for sale in the gallery above. Here is our selection process for a shipment of 56 narwhal tusks that came down from the Arctic sea lift to Toronto in November 2010.

We opened the crate for the first time and got first pick of the entire shipment.

We took out all the tusks, lined them up, and arranged them by size.

We inspected the tusks from tip to base to ensure quality selection.

This is the largest tusk of the entire shipment. See 156-G6293.

Inspection in Toronto

The tusks in our gallery above are stored at our office in Toronto.  You are welcome to come and inspect individual tusks if desired.  Please make an appointment ahead of time so you are not disappointed.  For customers residing outside of Ontario, we cannot release the tusks until we have proper paperwork in place.  All offers of sale are make with the condition that proper permits are in place prior to the final sale.

Care of the Tusks

Apply a light coat of VaselineTM or mineral oil once a year in a moist environment and once every six months in a dry environment to prevent it from drying out.  The tusks will crack if they are allowed to dry out.  Most tusks have small hairline cracks where the tusks twist naturally.

Cleaning Tusks

When the tusks first come out of the water, they are covered in algae and other dark slime as shown on the left in the picture above.  One way to clean the tusks is to use a piece of eaves trough, close up the sides, and fill it with water and detergent (Sunlight will work) or bleach and water.  You can let the tusk soak overnight and then use a bristle brush to clean the scum off.  The tusk will be a bit yellowed.  You can use regular hydrogen peroxide to brighten it.  The tusks will come out like the ones on the right depending upon how well you clean them. 

We only sell cleaned tusks for export. The tusks are cleaned and are free of blood and meat. They are scrubbed to remove algae and grime. They are often treated in a long tub with hydrogen peroxide or bleach to disinfect and whiten.

What are Narwhal Tusks used for?

Narwhal tusks are used primarily for decoration.  Over the years, we have encountered some other uses around the world.  

Here’s a quick summary by country or region:

Canada – The tusks are primary used for decoration.  We have seen some people use tusks for jewelry, knife handles, and walking sticks.

Europe – Most tusks are used for decoration.  Tusks can only be sold in the European Union now for personal or scientific use.

Turkey – We have had customers use tusks to make prayer beads.

Japan – We have had customers use these for sushi knives and for decoration.  In the past someone was making a powder for medicinal purposes.

China – Tusks are used for decoration and making jewelry.  Some are used for carving.

New Zealand – The tusks we have sold have been used for decoration.

Below are some pictures of mounted tusks for display:

 

Using Tusks for Arts and Crafts and Other Legal Questions

There is some question as to the laws regarding use of tusks for making arts and crafts.  The law states that each tusk must have a harvest tag attached at all times.  During a meeting with officials at Fisheries & Oceans in Burlington, Ontario on March 9, 2010, we were informed that policy guidelines are being developed to assist the arts and crafts community in complying with the law.  If a tusk purchased from us or others is going to be cut into multiple pieces for use in making earrings, pendants, knife handles, carvings, etc., the new owner of the tusk should contact Fisheries & Oceans to obtain additional harvest tags before cutting the tusk.  These tags can then be assigned to each article being made.  Technically, the law states that the tag must be attached to the tusk at all times.  For jewelry, knife handles, cut pieces, and carvings, our understanding is that as long as the owner can produce the tag for the article promptly, this will suffice as proof of a product made from a legally acquired tusk.  In other words, you can wear a pair of narwhal earrings to dinner, but had better be able to prove that they were made from legally acquired material if ask by an officer from Fisheries & Oceans.  Always keep the harvest tag.

Please note that all narwhal products leaving the Province of Ontario must have marine mammal transportation permits--this is true for jewelry, carvings, knife handles, cut pieces, etc., as well as for full tusks.  All products being shipped out of Canada must have a CITES permit--regardless of how much or how little you paid for the item.

Once the tusk is exported outside of Canada we are not aware of any requirement that the tag must remain attached to the tusk. We do advise that you keep the tag for your files.

We recommend that customers maintain adequate paperwork (copies of tags, pictures of tusks, etc.) to prove where pieces came from and went.

Please note that we accept no responsibility whatsoever for the accuracy of this section and are simply trying to relay information as we learn more as a service to both our customers and to the Ministry of Fisheries & Oceans.  We are not the final authorities on this matter and are awaiting formal, written guidance from Fisheries & Oceans that we can pass on to our customers.  Each customer or artist is responsible for researching the laws on his or her own to ensure a thorough understanding of how the laws affect his or her situation.

Genus and Species

Genus and species:  Monodon monoceros.  Wild.  CITES Appendix II.

Narwhal are protected along with all other marine mammals.  They live in the cold arctic waters and are not exposed to significant hunting.  Estimates of the number of narwhal in polar waters range from a low of 20,000 to a high of 35,000 or more.  Nearly all of the narwhal tusks come from animals that were killed by local hunters for food, not for the tusk alone.  The government of Canada restricts the number of narwhal that may be taken each year to ensure that narwhal do not become threatened.  As of January 2010, we believe the annual harvest is only 200 to 300 narwhal across the Canadian arctic.  This is about 1% of the estimated population and is believed to be sustainable.

There are an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 tusks that have accumulated on the ocean floor over the years near communities where the narwhal hunt takes place.

Due to recent problems with poaching and overhunting in eastern Greenland (where there is a very small population of narwhals), we do not offer narwhal tusks from Greenland.

FAQ and Notes on Tusks

Q: Are the tusks hollow?

A: The tusks are hollow nearly all the way to the tip.  Only the last inch or two is solid.  The hole in the middle of the tusk is about 1/2" in diameter on 5' tusks.  The width of the hole expands nearer the base.  The longer tusks from older animals have a much thicker base than the younger ones.

Q: What percentage of female narwhal have tusks?

A: Most tusks come from male narwhal.  Studies by the Ministry of Fisheries & Oceans, however, shows that approximately 6% of narwhal with tusks were female. 
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Csas-sccs/publications/resdocs-docrech/2012/2012_019-eng.pdf

Q: Why are the tips sometimes whiter than the rest of the tusk?

A: When the tusks first come out of the water, often the tips are clean from use and the rest of the tip is nearly black from algae and gunk.  Many tusks are broken on the tips simply as a result of use--not breakage in shipping.  These are ideal for craft purposes or for individuals who do not mind specimens like this.

Q: How can you tell whether a tip has been worked?

A: To see whether a tip has been worked (sanded by the Inuit or others), you can use a magnifying glass to look for marks and/or swirls from sandpaper.

Q: When do the Inuit hunt the narwhal?

A: The most active hunting takes place in August and September when the ice opens up. The Inuit avoid hunting pregnant females.

Q: Why do narwhal have tusks?

A: The tusks appear to be for display to attract female narwhal--similar to antlers or deer or elk and tail feathers on peacocks. It was believed their primary use is not for gathering food or combat. If the main use was scraping molluscs off the ocean floor or gathering other food, female narwhal would tend to have tusks as well. All narwhal have two teeth. In males, one extends beyond the skin and becomes the long tusk narwhal are famous for. The other tusk rarely penetrates the skin and grows. When it does, this becomes a rare double-tusk narwhal. The teeth that do not penetrate the skin are considered teeth and not tusks. Harvest tags are genearlly not issued for teeth. A Marine Mammal Transportation License is required to export the teeth from Nunavut or out of a province.

In August 2016, narwhal in Tremblay Sound, a narrow fjord on the north coat of Baffin Island, were filmed for the first time using their tusks to hit and stun fish before eating them. Which goes to show there is still a lot we do not know about these enigmatic animals. See the videos in this links below.
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/watch-here-narwhals-exhibit-never-before-seen-behaviour/82235/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/narwhals-use-their-tusks-to-club-and-stun-prey-scientists-discover/article34965434/

Q: How big are narwhal tusks?

A: Most adult male narwhal have tusks that average 6 to 8 feet. It is rare to get tusks that are 9 feet or longer. The longest tusks every seen are about 13' if my memory serves me well.

Notes:

When tusks are bleached using a 2% solution of Chlorox(TM) and water (2 parts water, 1 part 6% Chlorox household bleach) the tusk becomes a bright white (see a picture of a bleached tusk compared to a cleaned tusk). The color softens when mineral oil is applied.

Non-Natives are not prohibited from selling any edible parts of the narwhal.

The Illegal Trade in Narwhal Tusks

Why do people smuggle tusks into the United States or Europe?

For the same reason they smuggle other contraband, such as cocaine, heroin, counterfiet products, and cigarettes: these products are illegal and profitable.

How big is the illegal trade in narwhal tusks?

Given that the legal trade is limited (141 tusks were legally exported from Canada from January 1, 2012 until October 29, 2012, according to CITES Canada) the illegal trade is probably quite small. When someone is caught smuggling tusks it becomes instant news--in part because it is rare.

What are the penalties for smuggling narwhal tusks into the United States?

Two Americans caught smuggling tusks from Canada into Maine face up to 20 years in prison and potential fines of US$250,000 or more.

Why do we Sell Narwhal Tusks?

Ever since I was a kid reading about polar explorers and Eskimos (Inuit) I have been fascinated by the polar regions.  Narwhal play an important role in the north for both food and art.  I find dealing with northern products very interesting and simply enjoy having Inuit art and products around.  I do not believe that the limited hunting of narwhal by the Inuit is having a deleterious effect on the population of these animals and the sale of the tusks promotes the north and the lives of Inuit.  If it became clear that the harvest of limited quantities of narwhal for food by the Inuit threatened the survival of the narwhal, we would stop selling the tusks.