The narwhal (Latin: Monodon Monoceros; the “sea unicorn”) — is a rare cetacean species, with a distinctive tusk. The narwhal lives at high latitudes — in the Arctic Ocean, and the North Atlantic, mainly around Franz Josef Land, the waters around the North Island of Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen, the Canadian Archipelago, and the shores of Greenland. An adult narwhal can reach up to 3.8–4.5 metres in length. Males can weigh up to two to three tonnes, and females about 900 kilogrammes. The narwhal is listed in the Russian Red Book (a directory of Russia’s endangered species).

Organised by Gazprom Neft, the Narwhal Project is the first comprehensive research project on studying, preserving and popularising the legendary “sea unicorn” of the Arctic. The objective of the project is to study the narwhal population in Russian waters, and put in place a programme to protect the species and its habitat. A communication programme will form an important part of this programme, in addition to its scientific and research content. The Narwhal Project has brought together research scientists, science communicators and popularisers, businesses, government agencies, and community activists. The project was initiated in 2019, with its first research expedition (organised by Gazprom Neft together with the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Ecology and Evolution) delivering a number of major scientific insights. The Narwhal Project is being implemented as part of Gazprom Neft’s “Home Towns” corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme. The project’s second expedition is being undertaken with the support of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of the Russian Federation and the Northern Department of the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring.

Gazprom Neft’s “Home Towns” CSR programme has been consistently improving living standards in those locations in with the company operates since 2012, supporting initiatives by local people as well as developing the company’s own projects. The programme is mainly focussed on developing social infrastructure in the regions, and on supporting education, science, and environmental projects.