Appearance and Looks
The walrus's main characteristic is its long, ivory like tusks. The bull's tusks can be up to 3..3 feet long, while the cow's are 2 feet. The walrus lacks external ears, and its skin is wrinkly and practically hairless, except for the bristles on the cheek pads. These spiky bristles are used to feel things underwater. The bulls are around 12 feet long, and the cows are only slightly smaller.
Adaptation
To be equipped for the ice, the walrus has reversible hind flippers which enable it to keep its balance. The flippers are also bumpy to keep it from sliding off the ice, where it spends most of its life.
To survive, the walrus has an extremely thick coat of blubber. The coat remains to protect the walrus all year. This layer can be up to 3 inches thick. If it did not have this extra flesh, it would freeze. Since the walrus swims to find its food, it, like all other pinnipeds, has a torpedo shaped body to swim quickly through the water. It also has a clear eyelid instead of a solid one to see, and protect its eye while underwater. When the walrus dives, the blood moves from its skin to its organs to keep the animal warm. When it surfaces, the color of its skin is pinkish brown. Then, the Walrus sunbathes on the ice floe to make its blood return to its skin.
Food And Eating
The walrus feeds mostly on bottom dwelling shellfish, such as clams, cockles and mussels. After weaned, the baby walrus eats crustaceans, such as shrimp. The young can not swallow large objects. The walrus uncovers the food from under the sand by squirting at the sand with water from its mouth. It also uses its large tusks to uncover the food.
Mating and Reproduction
The walrus reaches sexual maturity when it is 6 years of age. When ready to mate, the male walrus does a very large display in front of the female to prove himself the strongest bull. This display consists of whistles, barks, and growls. Many males show off, while the female chooses one. The cow usually tries to pick the largest and the one who makes the loudest and most impressive display. When mates are chosen, the pairs go off together. Some of the bulls do not choose mates, and try to mate with the cows that already have a bull. The original bull fights off the other, by using its tusks to hit it. Walrus mate on the pack ice.
The female carries its young for 15 months. It gives birth around early April or May. The infant is about 50 inches long. The calf stops nursing in 18 months. The mother teaches it to swim by giving it piggy-back rides.
Behavior and life style
The walrus is a playful animal. It does many things similar to what human children do, like sucking its flipper as though it was a thumb. Young walruses often (as it is supposedly called) "kiss" for play. This is when two walrus bump their faces together. In one herd, (group of walrus) there can be up to 100 animals, and usually one male, and at least six females, and four babies They lay around, and bask on ice floes for a good part of their life. Their bellow can be heard by other walrus up to 0.5 miles away. This deep noise sounds like a hammer.
The walrus can dive down as deep as 1250 feet, but it usually feeds in shallower water. Since the walrus can go so deep, the young use it as defense against hungry polar bears that can't go nearly as deep.
Environment and Habitat
The walrus spends all of its life on ice floes, or the rocky shore not far away. Since the walrus lives in a place where the weather can be below subfreezing, it has a thick coat of blubber around it. Walrus can range from the seas of Alaska, to the coasts of the Soviet Union.
Shelter
The walrus, unlike many Arctic animals, does not live in an enclosed space, such as a nest or a cave. To keep warm, instead of capturing heat by trapping it in a small space, it has a thick coat of blubber that can be up to 3 inches thick . This warmth blanket keeps it from freezing to death on the ice.
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The Wild Ones
c/o Wildlife Trust
61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964-8000
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