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Walrus are aquatic
mammals.
Walrus is a large
Arctic marine mammal
related to seals
and having long
tusks, tough, wrinkled
skin, and four flippers.
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Walrus
Classification:
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Carnivora
Family:
Pinnipedia
Genus:
Odobenus
Species:
Rosmarus
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Other Names:
Tooth Walkers,
Sub-species
of Walrus:
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Atlantic
Walrus
- O. Rosmarus
Rosmarus
Pacific
Walrus
- O. Rosmarus
Divergens
Laptev
Sea Walrus
- O. Rosmarus
Laptevi
* some dispute
the Laptev
Walrus is
a separate
species and
classify it
as a Pacific
Walrus.
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Size: The
walrus is the largest
flippered marine
mammal. The male
walrus is 9-11 feet
in length and weigh
up to 3,700 lbs.
While the female
walrus is 7-10 feet
in length and weigh
up to 2,700 lbs.
Habitat: The
walrus is circumpolar.
The Pacific walrus
is found in the
Bering, Chukchi,
and Laptev Sea,
while the Atlantic
walrus inhabits
the coastal regions
of northeastern
Canada and Greenland.
Habitats prefer
shallow water that
is not more than
262 feet deep. Walrus
haul out on ice
floes, pack ice
and small rocky
islands.
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Walrus
in Other Languages:
Danish: Hvalros
Dutch:
Walrus
Estonian:
Morsk
Finnish:
Mursu
French:
Morse
German:
Walross
Greenlandic:
Aaveq / Aaffaffak
Irish:
Rosualt
Italian:
Tricheco
Latvian:
Valzirgs
Lithuanian:
Veplys
Norweigan:
Hvalross /
Kvalross
Polish:
Mors
Portuguese:
Morsa
Romanian:
Morsa
Slovak:
Mroz
Spanish:
Morsa
Swahili:
Nguva Aktiki
Swedish:
Valross
Turkish:
Mors
Vietnamese:
Con Mooc /
Con H'i ma
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Diet: Walruses
are carnivores,
primarily eat clams,
snails, mussels,
worms, sea cucumbers,
and other animals
that they find on
the sea floor. If
a walrus is hungry
they will go after
larger prey like
seals. Walrus locate
their food using
their whiskers by
feeling along the
ocean floor.
Senses: Walruses
are thought to have
sensitive hearing.
While a walruses
eyesight is not
as acute as other
pinnipeds'. Exceptional
vision is not necessary,
because they are
primarily bottom-dwelling
animals. Walrus
have a well developed
sense of smell.
Description:
Walruses are
cinnamon brown in
color. Walrus are
excessively large
and often have mottled
pink hides. Walrus
have two tusks that
can grow up to 3
feet in length.
Both male and female
walruses have tusks
but the males tend
to be longer than
a females. A thick
layer of blubber
insulates the walrus
in the frigid Arctic.
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Communication:
Walruses produce
sounds both
above and below
water. Walruses
can produce
growls, grunts,
barks, soft
whistles, rasps,
and clicks.
Walruses communicate
both vocally
and with physical
displays. |
Did
You
Know?
Walruses
can
dive
300
feet
to
feed
on
the
ocean
floor.
Walruses
can
remain
submerged
for
up
to
12
minutes
before
surfacing.
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Gestation:
Walrus carry their
young 15-16 months,
which includes a 3-4
month period of delayed
implantation. The
walrus has the lowest
reproductive rate
of any pinniped species.
Birth: Walrus
typically give birth
to a single calf
at a time, but on
occasion walrus
will bear two calves.
Calves are ashen
gray to brown in
color at birth.
Newborn walrus calves
weigh 99-156 lbs
at birth. Newborn
calves are about
3-4 feet long.
Calves:
Walrus calves are
weaned at about
two years of age.There
is a high mortality
rate in walrus calves.
Sexual Maturity:
Female walruses
sexually mature
between the ages
of 5-6, but they
do not begin reproducing
until they are 10
years of age. Male
walruses sexually
mature between the
ages of 8-10 years
of age, but do not
successfully reproduce
until they are about
15 years of age.
Life Span:
Walrus live up to
40 years. Walrus are
prey for polar bears
and orcas.
Social Structure:
A group of walrus
are called a herd.
Walruses are highly
social in nature.
They can become
aggressive during
mating season.
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