The walrus hunts fish and
small mammals in the Arctic Circle. For a few hundred years, the walrus
has been hunted by the Arctic people for meat, oil and the skin of the
walrus but walrus hunting has led to the extinction of the walrus on
many small islands within the Arctic circle. Today, only the Native
Americans are allowed to hunt the walrus as it can often be one of the
only sources of food for hundreds of miles. The walrus is a particularly
sociable marine mammal and can often be seen in large groups. Walrus'
can be heard grunting and making loud bellowing noises at each other but
they become particularly aggressive during the mating season. The male
walrus displays the most aggressive behaviour as the males have to fight
to gain the respect of a female walrus.
Walrus' have long white tusks which
they use for helping them to survive in the tough conditions of the
Arctic circle. Both the male walrus and the female walrus have long
tusks which can reach nearly a metre in length. Walrus' use their tusks
for a number of reasons including breaking holes in the ice, hauling
their large bodies out of the water and onto the ice, and defend
themselves. The walrus also has a thick layer of fat under their
skin, known as blubber, which keeps the walrus warm in the sub-zero
temperatures and walrus' also have long, sensitive whiskers which they
use as detective devices to find their favourite meal of shellfish on
the dark ocean floor. The male walrus (bull) is often nearly double the
size of the female walrus (cow). Walrus' can be found in groups of up to
2,000 walrus individuals which generally consists of the alpha male and
his group of females and their young. The alpha male walrus will defend
his walrus clan from other large male walrus' that are trying to
infiltrate the group and steal the attention of his female followers.
Walrus' are thought to mate
about once a year during the colder winter months. After a gestation
period of just over a year, the female walrus gives birth to her fully
developed walrus calf. The walrus calf stays with it's mother until it
is at least 2 years old. This prolonged nursing period means that the
walrus calf can develop it's warm and insulating layer of blubber which
is vital to the survival of the walrus in the freezing conditions which
the walrus inhabits. The walrus has a carnivorous diet which
mainly consists of shellfish and echinoderms such as starfish and sea
urchins. Occasionally the walrus will hunt fish, seals and young whales.
The walrus uses it's enormous tusks to hold larger prey down so that
the walrus can then eat it.