Walruses
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Walruses
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| The walrus walks on all four. |
Germanic 'rusta-' (rust), is a form which is found in Norse rostungr, and rosmhvalr, and 'hvalross'. The latter was borrowed from Danish. The world walrus stems from it.
Bulls, who may get almost four metres long, weigh two tons. Cows, who may become almost three metres long, weigh over one ton and are bigger than ice bears, they too.
The colour of a walrus is pink-to-cinnamon brown. His colour changes from pink-to-cinnamon brown to a lighter shade when he gets into cold water because then his blood vessels get smaller.
He lives in the northern waters, and most often in shallow water by ice floes or land. He is found in the entire polar basin. There are two types of walrus - the Atlantic and the Pacific. There are more Pacific walruses than Atlantic walruses.
The walrus is the largest pinniped, fin-footed animal in the Arctic and Subarctic areas. Seals and sea lions are fin-footed too. They have to drag their hind ends around on dry land and ice. The walrus on the other hand walks on all four fins. He can move on land as fast as a man can run.
The walrus migrates in the spring and fall following the food. The coming of many ice floes tells him when to migrate.
His diet consists of clams, snails, crabs, shrimp and worms, ie, bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Clams are the principal food of the walrus. He grubs the clams from the sea bottom with his snout or blow them loose with a jet of water, then sucks the clams from their shells. He can dive down a hundred metres to get his favourite food from the sea bottom. He can eat 4,000 clams in one feeding.
The tusks may be the first thing to notice on a walrus. Both the male and female walrus have them. Tusks are made of ivory and grow to be two feet long in the cows and four feet long in the bulls. Both male and female walrus use their tusks to pull themselves out of the water and to crack breathing holes in the ice during the winter. And these long ivory tusks are also used for such as digging for clams and for protection from attack by polar bears, killer whales and local hunters.
He also has big whiskers for a reason: to feel around o the dark bottom till he finds food. Then he blows to get the food loose or to make it move so they can get it. He needs it to move because they can't get to it because of his protruding tusks.
His thick skin protects him from serious bites and sharp rocks. The skin is also very wrinkly. The wrinkles are like armor and protect him when he fights or "jousts" with other males to earn the right to mate, and protects him from all predators except the orca whale, polar bear, and man.
Living in the Arctic is not (too) hard for the walrus because he has blubber under his skin. Blubber is his body fat. It keeps him warm in the Arctic cold. Also, when he is cold he can reduce the blood flow to the skin and blubber to save heat.
The Living in Nature Reveals the Being under Study
It just is not true that many conformists of today welcome the wet walrus in the house as a pet or mopper. Accepting pet pigs is quite enough for them.Left to themselves in nature, animals have to strive as best they can without man-formed aids to help them. There have been no scientific studies as to how good walruses are at counting and showing tact to one another. It could be a rather interesting subject. However, walruses are adapted to conditions that are remote from ours. We obviously need to understand the gaps between them and us before we think of findings with transfer values and the like.
However, do you feel the time is ready for more animal heroines than the well trained Lassies and Willies? Walruses have feelings too, and know when their needs are offended against, or violated. I suggest you leave them be - in the free - and don't try to put petticoats on them - against the inborn dignity of animals that are abused as pets. To be left to themselves with enough space in a congenial habitat could be the best thing to do to a lot of wild animals. Even photo safaris may become burdens before and after exploitations. Wild animals of many kinds are hard pressed by humans, many of them, and some are endangered species.
"Man's got to know his limitations," says Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) in a movie. The highest is to let walruses be themselves, in conditions that conform to all their needs, and thus remain free. The second highest is to strive for good walrus habitats and walrus righs when there is good time. Animals cannot do that . . . and future generations might thank you.
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Literature
Ebu: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica 2008 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD. London: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2008.
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