Odobenus rosmarus

Walruses are social, gregarious animals known for their distinctive tusks and considerable bulk. They are often found in large herds on ice floes and shores within their Arctic habitat. Walruses use their tusks for various purposes, including helping to pull themselves out of the water onto ice, social interactions, and defense against predators. Their diet primarily consists of benthic bivalve mollusks, which they detect with their sensitive whiskers and excavate from the ocean floor.

Walruses have a polygamous mating system, with males competing for access to females during the breeding season, which typically occurs from January to March. Females give birth to a single calf after a 15 to 16-month gestation period, which includes a delayed implantation of the fertilized egg. Calves are nursed for over a year but may stay with their mothers for up to five years.

Walruses are one of the largest pinnipeds, with males reaching lengths of up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) and weights of about 1.5 tons (1,360 kilograms). Females are smaller. They have thick, wrinkled skin, long tusks (which are actually elongated canine teeth), and lack external ear flaps. Their skin is pink to brownish-gray and becomes lighter as they age. Walruses are adapted to cold Arctic environments, with a layer of blubber that helps insulate their bodies.

Historically, walruses have been essential to the culture and survival of Arctic peoples, who hunted them for their meat, skin, tusks, and blubber. Overhunting in the past led to significant declines in some populations.

The IUCN lists the walrus as Vulnerable, with climate change posing the greatest threat to their survival. The reduction in sea ice due to global warming affects their habitat, as they rely on ice for resting between feeding bouts, nursing calves, and avoiding predators. Other threats include potential oil and gas development in their habitat and hunting. Conservation efforts focus on habitat protection, monitoring populations, and regulating hunting to ensure it remains sustainable.