The walrus, a prominent marine mammal of the Arctic and subarctic regions, is recognized by its distinct physical characteristics. Its appearance is a blend of large size and specialized features that enable it to thrive in icy environments. This creature’s unique look, from its facial attributes to its robust body, is well-suited for its aquatic and terrestrial existence.
Distinctive Facial Features
The walrus’s face is defined by its prominent tusks, which are elongated upper canine teeth. Both male and female walruses possess tusks, though those of males tend to be longer, straighter, and stouter. Tusks can grow throughout a walrus’s life, reaching lengths of up to 1 meter (3 feet) in males and about 0.5 meters (1.5 feet) in females. These tusks serve various purposes, including establishing social dominance, aiding in hauling out onto ice or rocky shores, and forming breathing holes in the ice.
Surrounding the snout is a dense mat of stiff bristles, known as mystacial vibrissae, which give the walrus its whiskered appearance. There can be between 400 to 700 vibrissae arranged in 13 to 15 rows. These whiskers are capable of differentiating shapes, assisting the walrus in foraging for food on the seafloor. The walrus’s eyes are relatively small and positioned high and towards the sides of its head. It lacks external ear flaps, possessing only small, inconspicuous openings behind its eyes.
Body and Skin Characteristics
Walruses possess a large, bulky, and rounded body shape, which is well-suited for both aquatic and terrestrial environments. They are the third-largest pinniped species, with adult males in the Pacific subspecies weighing between 800 and 1,700 kg (1,764-3,748 lb) and reaching lengths of 2.7 to 3.6 meters (9-12 ft). Female Pacific walruses are smaller, weighing approximately 400 to 1,250 kg (882-2,756 lb) and measuring 2.3 to 3.1 meters (7.5-10 ft) in length. Atlantic walruses are generally smaller than their Pacific counterparts.
The walrus’s skin is thick and wrinkled, often reaching a thickness of 2 to 4 cm (0.79-1.6 in), and can be up to 10 cm (4 in) around the neck and shoulders of males. This skin is sparsely covered with short, coarse hair, appearing almost bald from a distance. Beneath the skin lies a substantial layer of blubber, up to 15 cm (6 in) thick, which provides insulation and energy storage. Skin coloration can vary; while generally cinnamon-brown, walruses can appear pale or almost white in cold water due to blood vessel constriction, and may turn pink in warmer conditions as blood flow to the skin increases to shed excess heat.
The limbs of a walrus are adapted into flippers. The foreflippers are short and square, with five digits of roughly equal length, each having a small claw. These are used for steering in water and for supporting the body when moving on land, where they are positioned at right angles to the body. The hind flippers are triangular-shaped with five bony digits, and claws on the three middle digits are larger. Walruses use alternating strokes of their hind flippers for propulsion in water, and like sea lions, they can rotate these flippers forward under their pelvis to assist with movement on land, allowing them to walk on all fours.