Pacific Walrus

The Pacific walrus (from the Old Norse hvall-hross, meaning “whale-horse”) is found in the Arctic at the edge of the polar ice. They are very large and have thick, wrinkled, hairy skin and relatively small heads with no external ears. They have enormously elongated upper canine teeth forming heavy tusks that are used as weapons in fighting and as hooks when climbing on ice. Their sensitive whiskers and fleshy snout help them find prey on the ocean floor. The walrus sometimes dislodges its favorite food—clams—by blowing them loose with a jet of water. Walruses are social animals and congregate in large herds—sometimes numbering several thousand animals.