Facts about Walruses

1. 09

   Social walruses communicate through a repertoire of sounds including clicks, whistles, and bell-like tones, with males producing elaborate vocal displays during mating season.

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2. 08

   The heart of a walrus can beat as slowly as 4 times per minute during deep dives, reducing oxygen consumption and allowing extended underwater hunting sessions.

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3. 07

   During dives lasting up to 30 minutes, walruses can descend to depths of 300 feet while searching the seafloor for mollusks, their primary food source.

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4. 06

   Approximately 18,000 walruses gather annually at a haul-out site near Point Lay, Alaska, making it one of the largest known aggregations of the species in the world.

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5. 05

   In Russian and Native Inuit languages, walruses are called by names meaning tooth-walker, reflecting how they use their tusks to create and maintain breathing holes in ice that can freeze over within hours.

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6. 04

   A walrus's whiskers, called vibrissae, contain approximately 400 to 700 highly sensitive hairs that detect prey movements on the ocean floor up to 100 feet below the surface.

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7. 03

   Walrus eyes contain a reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum that enhances their vision in the dim Arctic waters where they hunt for food.

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8. 02

   Beneath their skin, walruses maintain a blubber layer measuring up to 6 inches thick that insulates them in Arctic waters below freezing.

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9. 01

   Up to 1.5 tons in weight, adult male walruses possess tusks extending 3 feet long used for hauling themselves onto Arctic ice.

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