Walrus: quick facts
The walrus is a huge Arctic pinniped instantly recognised by its long ivory tusks — which both sexes grow — and bristly whiskers. It uses sea ice as a platform to rest and give birth, and dives to the seafloor to feed on clams, making it, like the narwhal, highly dependent on Arctic ice.
Scientific name
Odobenus rosmarus
Group
Pinniped (marine mammal)
Length
About 2.7–3.6 m
Weight
Up to ~1,500 kg
Lifespan
~30–40 years
Diet
Clams and other seafloor invertebrates
Range
Arctic Ocean & subarctic seas
Population
~225,000
Conservation
Vulnerable
Sources: NOAA Fisheries — Pacific Walrus (overview); IUCN Red List — Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus). Educational information only. See our sources & fact-check policy.