New Delhi, March 3 -- In a first, scientists have studied and captured footage of the iconic narwhals of the Arctic using their tusks to hunt. They also assessed how the toothed whales are living in a warming, changing Arctic.

The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) lives in remote Arctic waters. Males are known for their long, spiral tusks, which is really an elongated tooth.

It is believed that the tusk plays a role in competition for mates, including mating displays. It may have inspired myths such as the unicorn. But other uses of the tusk are not clear since few people have observed these elusive animals in the wild.

Researchers from the Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and Canada's Department of Fishe...