ARKHANGELSK, July 30. /TASS/. Participants in the annual Arctic Floating University expedition found an adult walrus skull with a fragment of a narwhal tusk embedded in it on the island of the Prince George Land of the Franz Josef Land Archipelago, the expedition's leader Alexander Saburov told TASS.
The tusk entered the walrus' nostril and reached the eye socket, and scientists, having analyzed the remains, say the animal lived with it in its head for longer than one year.
"The expedition's unique find happened when we discovered on the Prince George Land Island an adult walrus skull with a fragment of a narwhal tusk embedded in it," he said. "According the expedition's zoologists, this is evidence that the encounter between the walrus and the narwhal, where the tusk or tooth of the narwhal got into the nostril, into the walrus' nasal opening, had happened long before that walrus died, and he lived with this tusk for many years. This is evidenced by the fact that the tusk was very firmly embedded in the skull and bone tissue, it could not be reached or even moved. Most likely, the walrus lived safely, to the extent it may be possible, even though the tusk had almost reached the walrus' eye socket."
Scientists found the skull a few dozen meters from the coastline. Apparently, the walrus died recently, because there were still soft tissues remnants. It is quite possible that a polar bear could have dragged the walrus skull further from the water, as the skeleton's other parts were found a few dozen meters away from the site.
Scientific literature does not describe cases where these two marine mammals (walrus and narwhal) interact in any way, much less that they conflict with each other, although they may partially have the same food supply, he said. "This is a very interesting find, we have not found anything like this," the expedition's leader said in conclusion.
The find will be kept at the Russian Arctic National Park, since the Franz Josef Land Archipelago is part of it.
The narwhal (Monodon monoceros, sea unicorn) is a rare species of cetacean. Its males have a characteristic tusk, which is one of the incisor teeth. The narwhal is listed in the Russian Federation's Red Data Book, like the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus in Latin). Both species live also in the Franz Josef Land Archipelago's waters.
About the expedition
The 20th voyage of the Arctic Floating University scientific and educational expedition continued from July 1 to July 22, 2026 on board the Professor Molchanov scientific research vessel. The expedition organizers are: the Lomonosov Northern Arctic Federal University and the Northern Department for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Sevhydromet). The project's official sponsors and partners are: the Russian Federation's Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Russian Geographical Society, general sponsor - VTB, the Norilsk Nickel Company, and the Floating University Coordination Center based at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT).