The walrus is a large flippered marine mammal that lives throughout the Arctic Ocean and sub arctic seas of the northern hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the Odobenidae family and the Odobenus genus. A walrus is brown and gray. It is subdivided into three subspecies.

 

They found the Atlantic walrus in the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific walrus was found in the Pacific Ocean, and the o, rosmarus laptevi was found in the Laptevi Sea. Adult Pacific can weigh up to 4,500 lb. There are two hundred thousand walrus in the world according to the last census-based estimation in 1990. The majority of the Pacific walrus population spends the summer north of the baring strait in the Chuki Sea along the northern shore of eastern Siberia, around Wrangel Island, in the beau fort sea along the north shore of Alaska, and in the waters between those locations.

 

The walrus has 1 highly diverse and opportunistic diet, feeding on more the 60 genera of marine organism including shrimp, crabs, tube worms, soft coral, tunicate, sea cucumbers, various mollusk, and even parts of other pinniped. The animals that eat the walrus are polar bears, killer whales, and leopard seals. A walrus avoids being eaten by using its tusks.

 

They can grow up to 4 feet long and weigh 15 pounds each. Its other defense system is it’s 2 to 3 inch hide and 4 inches of blubber. Being in the water is its advantage. It can go smoothly and attack easily. When polar bears see a walrus close to the ocean it won’t usually attack. Killer whales usually attack seals, sea lions, and fur seals. The killer whale won’t usually attack the walruses.

 

I thought the walrus was a gentle animal but it attacks and kills in water. I thought the walrus can be tamed. I learned that walruses aren’t as fat as I thought they were. They used it a lot for defense and their tusks are heavy.

 

Author: Xavier M

Published: 04/2009

 

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odobenus_rosmarus http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=184

Photo Credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:7_Walross_1999.jpg