Narwhal (2) and Mountain Zebra (6)

Narwhals are built for icy Arctic waters. Their bodies help them dive for long periods and stay active in extreme cold, but that also means they can’t handle warmer oceans very well. Mountain zebras live on land in southern Africa. Their numbers are slowly increasing, but they’re still vulnerable because of habitat loss and drought.

In the Arctic, a narwhal swims near the surface, playfully chasing a small fish with his long tusk. When the fish darts away, the narwhal dives deeper into the cold water.

Far away in South Africa, a mountain zebra steps into a watering hole for a drink—only to be magically dropped into the freezing waters of Baffin Bay. Shocked by the cold, the zebra paddles hard, trying to find land, but the icy water quickly drains his energy.

The narwhal is right at home in these conditions. While the zebra struggles to stay afloat, the narwhal calmly swims nearby, adapted to the cold in ways the zebra is not.

In the Arctic ocean, endurance matters—and the narwhal had the edge.

Narwhal outlasts zebra!