The walrus is a big flippered marine mammal with a sporadic distribution in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic waters of the Northern Hemisphere around the North Pole. In the family Odobenidae and genus Odobenus, the walrus is the sole extant species. The Atlantic walrus (O. r. rosmarus), which resides in the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific walrus (O. r. divergens), which dwells in the Pacific Ocean, are two subspecies of this species.

Adult walruses are distinguished by their large tusks and whiskers, as well as their size: adult males in the Pacific may weigh more than 2,000 kilograms (4,400 pounds) and are only surpassed in size by two species of elephant seals among pinnipeds. Walruses spend much of their time on the sea ice hunting for benthic bivalve mollusks to feed, and they dwell primarily in shallow seas above the continental shelf. Walruses are gregarious creatures with a long lifespan, and they are regarded a “keystone species” in the Arctic maritime environment.

Many indigenous Arctic peoples have hunted the walrus for its meat, fat, skin, tusks, and bone, and the walrus has played a significant part in their traditions. Walruses were frequently hunted and slaughtered for their blubber, walrus ivory, and flesh during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Walrus populations have been quickly declining over the Arctic. Although populations of Atlantic and Laptev walruses have recovered slightly since then, they remain dispersed and at low levels compared to before human intervention.

The term walrus comes from a Germanic language, and it has been traced mostly to the Dutch or Old Norse languages. The first component is considered to be derived from an Old Norse term such as valr (“whale”), while the second portion is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word hross (“horse”). The Old Norse name hrossvalr, which means “horse-whale,” is supposed to have been transmitted down inverted to both Dutch and northern German languages as walros and Walross. Another hypothesis is that it is derived from the Dutch words wal “beach” and reus “giant.”

Walruses live in the wild for around 20–30 years. Males can attain sexual maturity as early as seven years old, but they don’t usually mate until they’re approximately 15 years old. They get into a rut from January to April, drastically reducing their food consumption. Females start ovulating when they are four to six years old. The females are ferocious, going into heat in late summer and again in February, while the males are only fertile in February; the potential fertility of the second phase is unclear. Breeding takes place from January through March, with February being the busiest month. Males congregate in the water around ice-bound groups of estrous females and participate in vocal displays that are competitive. Females join them in the water and copulate.

Download Walrus Silhouette PNG transparent background images