- Walruses use their massive tusks to pull their heavy bodies right out of the freezing water. Consequently, scientists often call them tooth-walking sea horses due to this unique behavior.
- Surprisingly, these marine giants can sleep comfortably while floating in the ocean waves. They actually inflate special air sacs in their throats to keep their heavy heads above the water.
- Furthermore, they possess highly sensitive whiskers to locate hidden food in the dark ocean depths. These thick bristles act just like clever underwater radar detectors to find buried prey.
- Specifically, a hungry adult can easily consume thousands of small clams in a single day. Therefore, they spend many hours diving to the muddy ocean floor to find their favorite meals.
- Additionally, both male and female walruses grow long ivory tusks throughout their entire lives. However, the dominant males typically develop much thicker and longer teeth to show their status.
- Interestingly, walruses change their skin color depending on their current body temperature. They look pale white in freezing water but turn bright pink while sunbathing on the ice.
- Moreover, these massive animals rely on thick layers of dense blubber to stay warm. Indeed, this protective animal fat can reach over ten centimeters in total thickness.
- Consequently, mother walruses show incredible devotion to their tiny newborn calves. They will fiercely protect their babies from dangerous polar bears and hungry killer whales.
- Notably, walruses communicate using a complex language of deep grunts, loud roars, and strange bell-like sounds. Thus, a crowded resting beach sounds incredibly loud during the busy summer mating season.
- Naturally, they prefer resting on floating sea ice rather than rocky coastal shores. This moving ice gives walruses easy and fast access to their favorite deep-water feeding grounds.
- In fact, a fully grown adult male can weigh well over two thousand kilograms. Despite this massive size, walruses swim incredibly gracefully through the strong ocean currents.
- Interestingly, their iconic tusks never stop growing as they slowly age. Therefore, older individuals often proudly display heavily worn and heavily chipped ivory weapons.
- Consequently, researchers can determine the exact age of these amazing creatures by checking their teeth. They simply count the distinct growth rings hidden deep inside the solid ivory structure.
- Additionally, walruses use their flat snouts like powerful vacuum cleaners to suck meat out of clam shells. Thus, they never actually chew the hard protective shells of their ocean prey.
- Finally, early human explorers mistakenly believed these giant animals were fierce and terrifying monsters. However, modern researchers know walruses are generally gentle creatures unless you threaten their young babies.
Sources & References:
Ocean Conservancy – “10 Facts About Walruses” (Source for insights into their unique vocalizations, historic encounters with early explorers, and the social hierarchy of dominant males.) Link: https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2019/10/02/10-facts-walruses/
National Geographic – “The Unexpected Walrus” (Source for information on their suction-feeding abilities, sensitive vibrissae/whiskers, tusk usage, and color-changing skin.) Link: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/walrus
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries – “Pacific Walrus Profile” (Source for details on their pharyngeal pouches used for floating and sleeping, as well as how scientists use tusk growth rings to determine age.) Link: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/pacific-walrus
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – “Walrus Facts and Information” (Source for statistics on their massive weight, blubber thickness, diet of benthic bivalves/clams, and their reliance on sea ice for resting.) Link: https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/walrus
Marine Mammal Commission – “Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)” (Source for information regarding their deep-diving habits, maternal care, and protection against predators like polar bears and killer whales.) Link: https://www.mmc.gov/priority-topics/species-of-concern/walrus/
