Walrus - description, habitat, lifestyle

Under the walrus means animals that easily tolerate the cold. This name has become a household name, because this is the name of people bathing in the hole. Walruses are preferable in cold climates. They are listed as pinnipeds; it is necessary to look for these representatives in the northern hemisphere. This is one of the largest animals of this type, occupying an honorable second place after elephant seals. In today's article we will look at everything that affects the walrus.

Description and habitat

1. Almost all their lives, these animals are in the aquatic environment, they get food and are not afraid of icy water. As a result, accumulated fat reserves subsequently warm the walrus, giving them energy. As for the overall characteristics, adult individuals can be up to 5 meters long. Their body weight is approximately 1.5 tons.Individuals of female gender a little less, they stretch up to 3 meters and weighs 900 kg.
2. If you look at these pinnipeds, you will immediately notice the impressive size of the fangs. They are located on the upper jaw and go down. In some individuals, the size of the tusks sometimes reaches 70 cm. They are required to protect against the enemies of the walrus in the natural environment. Also, these canines contribute to the convenient obtaining of food from the bottom. Another aspect is that when a walrus climbs on the ice, he does it with the help of tusks, clinging to them like cats with claws on a tree.
3. Due to the fact that animals are constantly in ice water, they need a decent layer of fat for warming. It is about 15 cm. On average, more than 23% of the total body volume is occupied by fat reserves. A walrus is a warm-blooded mammal. When the beast is in water for a long period of time, its blood circulates more slowly, drains from the skin, so the animal appears light.
4. After a successful exit to the surface of the ice all returns to the same course. Blood circulates vigorously, the individual acquires the same gray-brownish tone.The young stock has a short woolen cover. Over the course of the life cycle, it disappears, the skin becomes smoothed. Considering the habitat, it should be said that to a greater degree these animals are common in the Arctic.
5. There are some populations in Iceland, Greenland, Red Sea, Svalbard. In the summer, individuals accumulate in the area of ​​the Bristol Bay, as well as in Alaska and in the Sea of ​​Tailfort. Individuals of the represented breed group are ranked among those animals that constantly migrate. Therefore, you can find them even in Siberia (eastern part).

Lifestyle

1. By their characteristics, these individuals do not belong to aggressive creatures. Accommodation is colonial; they are grouped together in groups of 25 on average. However, when the mating season begins, there may be several thousand animals in one place. Males are aggressive at this time because they are trying to conquer females and engage in skirmishes. When walruses go ashore, females take on the role of caring mothers, and males compete and measure with tusks.
2. Representatives of the genus, located on different sides of the pack, act as watchmen. They fix the approaching threat and give signals so that the confreres can provide support.When an alarm is heard, the flock instantly goes into the water space. There may be a crush, so youngsters often suffer. Females boldly close their cubs from large-sized individuals.
3. The main enemy of these animals is the polar bear. He leads a full-scale hunt for a walrus, and later regales on it. Not always bears can overcome walruses, therefore they often attack in packs. As for sushi, in this environment bears are stronger, but reinforcements usually arrive at walruses. Bears, not having the opportunity to eat large pinnipeds, attack kids and weakened animals.
4. In the water space among the opponents of walruses can be considered a killer whale. It is famous for its sharp teeth and strong grip. Dimensional features also exceed the figures of walruses, so they try to escape and go to the shore in an attempt to escape.
5. It has already been mentioned that walruses are ranked among schooling mammals. At rookeries, their number sometimes reaches several thousand. Each individual has its own role. The dominant position is given to the largest male, he runs the show. If males do not controversy over females, then they live quite peacefully.
6. It should also be mentioned that excellent swimmers are obtained from the animals represented. Some of them so forget about time when searching for food that they are in ice water for days.

Nutrition

1. The discussed representatives of the family are more common at the coastline. However, you can meet individuals a little further. They always try to look for food near the main habitat. Sometimes they dive to a depth of 75 meters in order to get a meal for themselves and their offspring from the bottom. Shellfish, worms and crustaceans of all kinds constitute the majority of the basic subsistence.
2. Due to the presence of tusks of impressive size, the beast easily plows the bottom, taking mollusks. Then he uses flippers to remove the shell and leave only the body, which will be used later. Fragments walrus sends to the bottom. To saturate one large individual, you need to consume about 50 kg. clams per day. These individuals practically do not lean on the fish. They can enjoy it, if there is nothing more to eat.
3. If the food is obtained by an adult large male, he will hunt. Will begin to attack the seals, narwhal. They are the predators that are dangerous to humans.When the walrus tastes the meat, he will not give up on him anymore. Will constantly find such food. Northern people call such animals keluchi.

Walrus Enemies

1. Often the killer whales are the natural enemies of the individuals represented. They may overtake the walrus in the water. As for sushi, polar bears often hunt animals. Separately worth mentioning man. In this case, natural selection plays no role. People are constantly exterminating walruses.
2. It is the indigenous peoples of the North who often hunt them. People kill them only for food. That is, there is no mass extermination. Northern people do not kill animals just for fun. The situation changed a lot when the white man set about barbaric extermination of individuals.
3. Poachers began to massacre walruses for the sake of their tusks. It was a few decades ago. At the present time, the animal population has declined sharply. Now the giants of the Arctic are under protection and are listed in the Red Book. The problem is that animals are on the verge of extinction.

Breeding

1. Unfortunately, reproduction of individuals is extremely rare. The problem is that walruses reach sexual maturity only at the age of 6 years. The mating season in animals falls in the spring. At such a time, a real struggle for females flares up between the males.
2. Remarkably, at a time a couple has only 1 baby, in rare cases 2. In addition, the female can produce offspring only 1 time in 4 years. Pregnancy lasts a whole year. After that a baby weighing about 30 kg is born. For the next year, he eats exclusively mother's milk.
3. Parents continue to protect offspring until 3 years of age. Only at this time they begin to grow fangs. The cubs begin to get their own food. At the age of 2 years, the baby's diet begins to be diverse. He already eats everything that his parents offer him. Also, the cub does not stop drinking mother's milk.
4. Life expectancy of such individuals is about 30 years. And 20 of which they continue to grow. The maximum animals live to 35 years. It is interesting that on the entire planet the walrus population numbers only 250 thousand individuals. There is another unique species - laptenevsky.
5. It is listed in the Red Book, with only about 20 thousand individuals remaining on the earth. This situation was due to commercial hunting animals. Poachers exterminated them mainly because of the canines. Of this material often made various crafts and handles for weapons.
6. As for the local people, people ate walrus meat and used their skins. In the modern world, industrial hunting is prohibited throughout the world. Walrus are allowed to hunt only locals, for which it is simply necessary.
7. Northern peoples feed on the meat of individuals, in addition, they use animal fat for light. Fangs are necessary for crafts of folklore. In addition, the change of climate affected the number of walruses. Due to global warming, the population has declined.
8. The ice began to melt and the walrus had less room for rookery. Because of this, getting food was difficult. The cubs are forced to stay alone in the rest area for a long time until the mother brings prey. In aggregate, all this had a negative impact on the reproductive function of walruses.

Population status

1. In the 18th and 19th centuries, commercial fishing for the Atlantic walrus flourished. It is for this reason that the animals have almost completely disappeared. There are very few individuals. In the modern world, hunting is forbidden all over the world. Exceptions are only northern indigenous peoples.
2. Only such people can get a few animals at a certain time. At the same time, the sale of meat, fat and other parts of the animal’s body is prohibited. Walrus are allowed to hunt exclusively for their own needs. In European cuisine, the cooked language of the represented animal is considered a delicacy.
3. Northern peoples feed on the meat of individuals throughout the winter. In addition, local residents can preserve flippers of animals and keep them until spring. As for bones and tusks, they are used to create various tools and ornaments. Thick skins are suitable as finishes for boats and houses.
4. In the modern world there are already quite cheap and affordable building materials, therefore, there is no longer necessary to exterminate walruses in large quantities. However, not all nations allow new technologies into their world. Someone prefers to live the same as 100 years ago.

Walruses are considered the oldest animals on the planet, unfortunately, people have become the cause of their mass extermination. However, it is no secret to anyone that it is man who is the cause of many troubles and disasters. Currently, walruses are listed in the Red Book and are protected.

Video: walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)