Table of Contents
What makes walrus unique?
These marine mammals are extremely sociable, prone to loudly bellowing and snorting at one another, but are aggressive during mating season. With wrinkled brown and pink hides, walruses are distinguished by their long white tusks, grizzly whiskers, flat flipper, and bodies full of blubber.
How long can a walrus sleep?
The humble walrus can go for up to 84 hours without a wink of sleep, instead choosing to swim underwater and look for food. Don’t be fooled though – after a big no-sleep bender a walrus can snooze for up to 19 hours to recover.
How long can walrus hold their breath?
Walruses generally breathe at the surface for about one minute after every five to eight minutes of subsurface activity. They can stay submerged for as long as 10 minutes.
What are walrus behavior adaptations?
Plants and animals use adaptations to help them survive in their environments. The many physical and behavioral adaptations of the walrus, such as its long tusks and flipper walking, make it possible for this animal to live successfully in and out of the water near the Arctic Circle.
Did you know facts about walruses?
Top 10 facts about walruses
- There are two main subspecies of walrus.
- They weigh a tonne.
- Both male and female walruses have large tusks.
- Mother walruses are very protective of their young.
- They can live to around 40 years old.
- Walruses are rarely found in deep water.
Can walrus live in water?
They live in shallow water but dive deeper in search of food. Walrus can dive up to 90 m and stay underwater for long periods of time – up to 30 minutes! They are also quite graceful in the water and swim at an average speed of 7 km/h (4.35 mph) and up to 35 km/h (21.74 mph).
What does the walrus have that keeps it warm?
During the winter, blubber can make up up to a third of a walrus’s body mass. That keeps the walrus toasty warm as it slices through frigid waters. Blubber is just one way that marine mammals keep warm. Others include dense fur and tapered bodies.
Can a walrus sleep underwater?
They can sleep in water and on land, although they sleep for longer periods on land17. When walruses sleep in the water, they usually lie at the bottom, float along the surface, or lean against something while in a standing position. They can even hook their tusks onto an ice floe and sleep that way.
What is the behavior of a walrus?
Walruses are among the most gregarious of animals. They exhibit social behavior all year and congregate by the hundreds. Walruses haul out in herds; they seldom haul out alone. Males and females form separate herds.
Is a walrus warm or cold blooded?
Think about some large animals—elephants, whales, and walruses. Their volume is so large that relying on the outside environment to heat them up would be inefficient and would slow their response times, putting their survival at risk. For that reason, nearly all large animals are warm-blooded.