Walrus

Design

Captain Budd Christman, NOAA Corps, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The thick, wrinkled skin acts as a protective barrier for the walrus when it fights with other walruses and when it is attacked by predators. The walrus also has a thick layer of blubber under its skin that protects it from the freezing water. When the temperature drops, the walrus’ blood vessels get smaller, helping it maintain its body heat.

Features

• The walrus is known for its large size and pink-reddish brown coloring.
• It is also easily recognized by its large tusks, which it uses to pull itself out of the water onto ice.

Fun Facts

• The tusks of the walrus have growth rings, just like a tree, and they are highly prized as collector’s items.
• The male uses its tusks to establish dominance.
• The walrus uses its whiskers to find food. It then blows a jet stream of water on the food to uncover it or get it to move, so that it can capture and eat it.
• The walrus’s main predators are polar bears, killer whales, and humans.
• Native Alaskan people carve beautiful pictures and designs in the harvested tusks of the walrus. This art is called “scrimshaw.”