Unicorns
Today
Unicorn and a Narwhal
You may not see a medieval unicorn today, but they do exist in another form on the coast of Baffin Island, Canada.  Otherwise known as "Sea Unicorns."

Unicorns of the Sea; Narwhals:

These sea mamals live in the polar waters of Canada and Greenland along the edge of sea ice.  The largest Narwhal group recorded in 1986 was 20,000 in the Baffin Bay area (National Geographic, March 1986).  Only male Narwhals carry the 8-10 foot long tusk that protudes from their snout.  Their tusk is one long living tooth that the males use as a weapon and as a symbol of dominance.  European whaling ships used to hunt the Narwhal for their tusk and return to sell it as a unicorn horn.  Below are pictures of Narwhals and decorated tusks.
800 year-old carved Narwhal tusk
One Narwhal during the day
Carved Narwhal tusk by Pierre Karlik
Two males swimming
Run your mouse over the pictures to see the caption.
Two Narwhals fighting
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