Walrus

Walruses have long tusks and a prominent mustache. These large marine mammals are found near the Arctic Circle. They are extremely social and snort and bellow loudly at their companions. During the mating season they are quite aggressive.

Walruses have wrinkled brown and pink skin, long, coarse whiskers, Áat Áippers, and lots of blubber on their bodies to keep them warm in the cold Arctic water. They can slow down their heartbeat to withstand the chilly water temperatures and to help them stay under water for as long as ten minutes.

Their long tusks are useful in many ways. They use them to pull their enormous bodies out of frigid waters, and seem to walk on their tusks. They also use their tusks to break breathing holes into ice from below. Tusks are found on both males and females and keep growing throughout their lives. These tusks are actually canine teeth and can grow to be about three feet (one metre) long.

Their whiskers are very sensitive and help the walruses Ànd their favourite meals, such as clams, way down in the deep, dark ocean Áoor. Their whiskers are longest at the corners of their mouth.

Only Native Americans are currently allowed to hunt walruses, as the species' survival was threatened by past overhunting. Hunters in the

18th and 19th centuries captured walruses for their tusks, oil, skin and meat and now there aren’t any walruses in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and around Sable Island, off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Walruses have an air sac under their throat, which helps them Áoat in the water so they can sleep!