7 Walrus Facts For Kids
The walrus is a sea mammal meaning that while it spends much of its time in the ocean, it’s not a fish. Many people can easily recognize a walrus by its long, sharp front teeth that stick way out of its mouth, by its long whiskers and by its large, round body. A walrus is very similar to a seal except for its teeth and how large it is.
When you visit a marine park you may see a walrus swimming in the aquarium and they’re fun to watch because of their teeth. However they can be dangerous because of how big they are and how sharp those teeth are. Check out some fun facts about walruses and how they live.
How They Look
A walrus is very round and very fat. Their blubber or fat that’s under their skin keeps them warm when they’re in the cold waters where they live. Their large teeth, which are usually more than three feet long and which weigh over twelve pounds, are typically used for digging. They drag their tusks into the ocean floor or sediment around the ocean, looking for food. They also have long thick whiskers, typically more than 400, which help them to dig for food as well.
The walrus has very sparse fur and looks as if it’s naked, and its skin will be wrinkled and folded. This is also to help keep it warm in the cold waters. They are all deep brown but their skin gets pale when they swim, so they can actually look white in the water.
How They Live
Walruses stick together especially when they migrate to areas where there is a lot of food. There can sometimes be groups of tens of thousands of walruses in one area. They will eat all sorts of fish along with clams and even small seals.
Whales will sometimes eat walruses because the animals cannot swim very fast, so they’re easy prey for them. Sometimes polar bears will also eat walruses if they don’t have other food to find.
A walrus is not dangerous because it doesn’t hunt humans or any animal on the land, but because they’re so big and because their teeth are so sharp, it’s not safe to be near one. They can easily crush a human being because they’re so large or their teeth could hurt a person very quickly.
