Here's the Skindex Zoo's latest arrival, a walrus! The tusks are also useful for creating breathing holes when the walrus are swimming under the ice. Learn what makes these animals so interesting below! These animals are well adapted for swimming, but most—especially "true" seals and walruses—move awkwardly on land. Fun Facts about the Walrus! There are unlabeled photographs. We use cookies to analyse how visitors use our website and to help us provide the best possible experience for users. View our Cookie Policy for more information, Sign up to get the latest WWF news delivered straight to your inbox. They seem to prefer feeding at the bottom of shallow waters, eating clams, molluscs, worms, snails, soft shell crabs, shrimp and sea cucumbers. Join us and you can help stop the illegal wildlife trade and tackle other threats facing our natural world. Walruses dig their tusks into ice floes to help them haul their enormous bodies out of the water but also anchor their tusks into the ice so they are able to sleep whilst their bodies rem… Walrus Facts For Kids Walruses swim at an average speed to 4.35 mph (7km/h), but can reach speeds of 21.74 mph (35 km/h). This pinniped is found throughout the cold waters of the Arctic and has several biological adaptations that help it survive here. Walruses are the second largest pinnipeds. Climate change poses a huge threat to our future. Blubber not only provides insulation but can help make the walrus more streamlined in the water and also provides an energy source during times when food is scarce. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, male walruses are about 20 percent longer and 50 percent heavier than females. She serves as the executive director of the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation. This skin … The calf weighs about 100 pounds at birth. When most people think of the walrus, they think of the big tusks the animals use to haul themselves out of the water. Their tusks are also used for fighting with other walruses, and defence against predators. Facts and Information Social interaction is a big part of life for the walrus. - Both male and female walrus have large tusks and they use them to break ice as well as for defense. Male Pacific walrus are slightly larger, with longer … WALRUS FUN FACTS: - Adult walrus are typically about 7.25 - 11.5 feet in size and can weigh up to 1.5 tons (3,000 lbs or 1,360 kg)! Just about everyone can recognize these creatures by their long tusks and blubbery bodies. During this time, sea ice may retreat so far offshore that walruses retreat to coastal areas, rather than floating ice. You can unsubscribe at any time. Walruses climb up on ice or beaches to sleep or to rest. This comes from the Latin words for "tooth-walking sea-horse." Younger walrus have dark brown skin, but they get lighter as they get older until they almost turn pink. No, they are not at all dangerous if they are not disturbed, but if they show aggression, it is better to stay away from them, because stopping a carcass weighing several tons is quite problematic. Their blubber layer fluctuates according to time of year, the animal's life stage and how much nutrition it has received, but may be as much as 6 inches thick. Therefore, they have a large volume of blood—two to three times more blood than a terrestrial (land) mammal of their size. Laptevi Walrus. Walruses have young fairly infrequently, so it is vital for them to protect their offspring. Those tusks, which grow continuously, can reach lengths of up to 40 centimetres. Gomphotaria pugnax patrolled the shores of … Their name, Odobenus rosmarus, means 'one that walks with teeth'. This makes sure that the mother has the calf at a time when she has the necessary nutrition and energy, and that the calf is born during favorable environmental conditions. Mammals (Mammalia) Order. The scientific name for a walrus is Odobenus Rosmarus. 1. They consume foods from the bottom of the water including mollusks such as clams. Overall, walruses can grow to about 11 to 12 feet in length and weights of 4,000 pounds. As a result of less sea ice, walrus are changing their behavior. Walruses need ice for hauling out, resting, giving birth, nursing, molting, and protecting themselves from predators. Eight final walrus facts: Walruses spend about two thirds of their life in the water. Walruses give birth after a gestation period of about 15 months. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, male walruses are about 20 percent longer and 50 percent heavier than females. A mother will pick a calf up with her flippers and hold it to her chest if it’s threatened, diving into the water with it to escape predators. It is considered by some as its own order, and by others as an infra-order under the order Carnivora. Their faces feature two small eyes, a mustache and two long tusks.Walruses weigh from 600 to 1,500 kilograms (1,320 to 3,300 lbs.) They use these tusks to help them haul themselves out of the water and onto sea ice. Jennifer Kennedy, M.S., is an environmental educator specializing in marine life. • A walrus’s most noticeable feature is its tusks, and that was the basis for the scientific name Odobenus rosmarus. Interesting Walrus Facts: Adult walruses have between 2000 and 3000 pounds in weight and can reach 12 feet in length. There are white and pink walruses. Walruses usually have one calf, although twins have been reported. Walruses are social and live in herds. June 7, 2019. Short fur covers most of their bodies except for their fins. Their enormous tusks were originally thought to aid them when feeding but are know known to be more do with social status and even help with mobility. And big is beautiful – they… Walruses are pinnipeds, which classifies them in the same group as seals and sea lions. It is latin for tooth walking sea-horse. During the mating season they are quite aggressive. The movements during migration can be time consuming. The name is Latin for “tooth-walking seahorse,” and it comes from the walrus’s habit of using its tusks like a climber’s ice ax to haul itself onto ice sheets or cling to the edge while it floats in the water. While underwater, walrus heart rates slow down so that they do not become too cold. Walruses can live to 40 years of age in the wild. And as the Arctic opens up to more shipping, tourism, industry and noise, the Atlantic walruses are at greater threat of disturbance, and therefore stampedes. 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