Walrus

 

Animal Unique | Walrus | The Walrus is a large marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar flippered distribution in the Arctic and sub-Arctic seas of the northern hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the family Odobenus and genus Odobenidae. It is divided into three subspecies: the Atlantic walrus who lives in the Atlantic, the Pacific walrus, which lives in the Pacific, and O. rosmarus laptevi, who lives in the Laptev Sea. The Walrus is easily recognizable by its prominent tusks, whiskers and great bulk. In relatively shallow water - generally not more than 80 m deep. Exposures to ice floes, pack ice and small rocky islands and ice is not present.

Scientific classification
Kingdom:     Animalia
Phylum:     Chordata
Class:     Mammalia
Infraclass:     Eutheria
Order:     Carnivora
Suborder:     Caniformia
Superfamily:     Pinnipedia
Family:     Odobenidae. Allen, 1880
Genus:     Odobenus, Brisson, 1762
Species:     O. rosmarus

Walruses are very distinctive with a large, robust, fusiform body, usually red-brown in color. On their head region, walruses lack external ear flaps, hundreds of short vibrissae (whiskers), and both sexes have large tusks. Like other pinnipeds, the front and hind legs changed into flippers of a walrus. Although it is present on the rest of the body, it is absent on the flippers. The foreflippers are short and square in shape with small claws on all digits and the hind flippers are triangular in shape with large claws on the three middle digits. On land, walruses are capable of rotating their hind flippers under their pelvis to walk on all fours in a manner similar to sea lions.

Walruses are the largest species of fin-footed mammals called pinnipeds. Others are seals, sea lions and fur seals. Pinnipeds have four flippers - one pair in front, and a few in the back. About two thirds of the life of a walrus has been spent in the water. Walruses swimming along the ocean floor, sensing eat with their whiskers. Walruses prefer shallow shelf regions, foraging mainly on the seabed, often sea ice platforms. They are not very deep divers compared to other pinnipeds. They can stay underwater as long as half hour. The Walrus has a diverse and opportunistic diet, eating more than 60 genera of marine organisms, including shrimps, crabs, tube worms, soft corals, tunicates, sea cucumbers, various mollusks, and even parts of other pinnipeds.

The primary functions of the Walrus' prominent tusks seem to help with towing in ice and rocky shores, and in establishing social dominance. Because of its large size and the tusks, the walrus has only two natural enemies: the orca and the polar bear. The walrus is not comprise an important part of the diet of both predators are. Both the orca and the polar bear are also most likely to prey on walrus calves. The polar bear hunts the Walrus by rushing often stranded in aggregations and consuming those who have broken or wounded in the sudden exodus.

To find food, Walruses use their vibrissae (whiskers). A walrus has about 400-700 vibrissae on the nose. Vibrissae are attached to muscles and are supplied with blood and nerves. A walrus moves its snout through bottom sediment to find food. Wear patterns of the tusks show that she dragged through the sediment, but are not used for digging prey. Walruses can also swallow the water and spray strong jets on the sea floor, digging burrowing invertebrates such as mussels and clams from 3.000 to 6.000 can consume in a single feeding.

Walrus plays an important role in religion and folklore of many Arctic peoples. Skin and bones used in some ceremonies and the animal often seems legends. For example, a Chukchi version of the widespread myth of the Raven, where Raven the sun and the moon of an evil spirit by his daughter to seduce recovers, the angry father throws the daughter of a high cliff, and when she drops into the water, it turns into a Walrus - possibly the original walrus. According to various legends, the tusks are either formed by the paths of mucus from the weeping girl and her long braids. Because of its striking appearance, large bulk and instantly recognizable whiskers and tusks, the walrus also appears in the popular culture of the peoples with little direct experience with the animal, especially in English literature.

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