With wrinkled brown and pink hides, walruses are distinguished by their long white tusks, grizzly whiskers, flat flipper, and bodies full of blubber.

Do walruses eat humans?

Unlike walruses, polar bears have been known to hunt humans as prey. That is why we take polar bear safety so seriously. Walruses have been known to attack humans too, but generally only in self-defense. ... Walruses would prefer to haul-out on sea ice, where they are somewhat safer from polar bear attacks.

What color is a walrus?

The color of walrus varies. When walrus are in cold water, they may appear pale brown, grey, or even yellowish. On land, when walrus are warm, they are pinkish to darker brown.

What do walruses do?

Walrus can dive up to 90 m and stay underwater for long periods of time – up to 30 minutes! They are also quite graceful in the water and swim at an average speed of 7 km/h (4.35 mph) and up to 35 km/h (21.74 mph).

How big do walruses get?

Male Pacific walruses weigh about 800 to 1,700 kg (1,764-3,748 lb.) and are about 2.7 to 3.6 m (9-12 ft.) long. Female Pacific walruses weigh about 400 to 1,250 kg (882-2,756 lb.)

A Close Encounter With a Walrus | National Geographic

Are walruses nice?

Walruses are the gentle giants of the Arctic. They are among the largest pinnipeds — fin-footed, semiaquatic marine mammals. However, while they have an intimidating size, and are carnivores, these animals are not aggressive.

What animals do walruses eat?

Walruses are rarely found in deep water

They seem to prefer feeding at the bottom of shallow waters, eating clams, molluscs, worms, snails, soft shell crabs, shrimp and sea cucumbers.

Do walruses eat fish?

Food Preferences & Resources

Walruses prefer molluscs - mainly bivalves such as clams. They also eat many other kinds of benthic invertebrates including worms, gastropods, cephalopods, crustaceans, sea cucumbers, and other soft-bodied animals. Walruses may occasionally prey on fishes such as polar cod.

Does a polar bear eat a walrus?

Polar bears depend on sea ice to hunt. ... Adult male polar bears will sometimes hunt walruses, but the smaller females, especially when malnourished, lack the strength necessary to take down the much larger predator.

How fast can a walrus run?

Walruses can move surprisingly fast on land, matching the running speed of a human being. They run on all fours like a dog. While swimming, walruses become graceful and use full-body movements to glide through the water. On average, walruses swim about 7 kph (4 mph) but can speed up to 35 kph (22 mph) if necessary.

What's the difference between a walrus and a sea lion?

Unlike the sea lions, walrus have tusks and whiskers. The tusk and stiff whiskers are the main features that differentiate a walrus from a sea lion. Walrus is also bigger than sea lions. Though walrus shares certain physical features with sea lions, it does not have the external ear as that of sea lions.

Are walruses intelligent?

Walruses' scientific name (Odobenus) translates from Latin into “tooth walking sea horse”. ... Walruses are intelligent animals. Scientists are gathering evidence that the walrus is the most cognitively and socially sophisticated of all pinnipeds. The upper canine teeth of the walrus are known as morse or tusks.

Do killer whales eat walruses?

They primarily eat marine mammals including seals, sea lions, walruses, baleen whales, other toothed whales, and occasionally sea otters.

Has anyone been killed by a walrus?

Walrus attacks are attacks inflicted upon humans, other walruses and other animals by the walrus. They have been documented in the Arctic by the Inuit and by European explorers, both on land and at sea. ... A 1918 memoir notes a case in Spitzbergen where walruses capsized a boat, killing all aboard.

Can you keep a walrus as a pet?

No, walruses do not make good pets. They are much too large to house easily, and their enclosures and water must be temperature controlled. It is also illegal in most places to own one as a pet.

Why are polar bears afraid of walruses?

In the water, walruses are out of reach for polar bears. In fact, an aggressive walrus can be dangerous for a polar bear in the water. ... In the water, too, walruses generally react to polar bears as to predators – they fear and avoid them.

What is bigger an elephant seal or a walrus?

Among the most amazing of pinnipeds are the elephant seals. ... They are the biggest of pinnipeds – bigger even than walruses – there being a record of a giant male Southern elephant seal that was between 6.5 and 6.8 m long and weighed over 4000 kg (Carwardine 1995).

Are walruses solitary animals?

Walruses are extremely social animals. They haul out in tight groups when on land or ice and usually travel at sea in groups as well. There is significant sexual segregation outside the breeding season. Solitary individuals can be seen on occasion on the ice or in the water; these are usually adult males.

Can you eat a walrus?

Many residents of coastal communities in northern and western Alaska consume walrus and other marine mammals as part of subsistence hunting, or hunting for survival. This tradition is critical to their nutrition, food security and economic stability, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Do walruses have any predators?

As they are very large, walruses have few natural predators, but polar bears and killer whales are known to occasionally attack them.

What are predators to seals?

Seals are carnivorous and dive underwater to hunt for fish, crustaceans, seabirds, and other marine animals. Whales, sharks, and even other seals are the primary non-human predators of seals.

How many walruses are left in the world?

Total world walrus population is about 250,000 animals. The Pacific walrus population is currently unknown but was last estimated at more than 200,000 animals in 1990. The Pacific walrus population has been hunted to depletion and allowed to recover several times.

How long can a walrus hold its breath?

Walruses generally breathe at the surface for about one minute after every five to eight minutes of subsurface activity. They can stay submerged for as long as 10 minutes.

Do female walrus have tusks?

The generic name of the walruses-Odobenus (meaning tooth-walker), refers to one of their most prominent char acteristics-tusks. These tusks, which are elongated upper canine teeth, are present on both males and females.

Are walrus tusks ivory?

Walrus tusk ivory comes from two modified upper canines. ... Whole cross-sections of walrus tusks are generally oval with widely spaced indentations. The dentine is composed of two types: primary dentine and secondary dentine (often called osteodentine). Primary dentine has a classical ivory appearance.