Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Walrus...
This isn't completely random like the pelican one, but, you'll have to take a trip over to Sam's WOTW blog to figure it out (I am still trying to figure out the turnip chips...)
Walruses (walrii??) are easily identified by two large tusks protrouding from their mouths (each walruses mouth - they don't have multiple mouths...). They are the only pinnipeds that have these tusks. These tusks can grow to be over one metre in length. (They'd be heavy teeth...). They have thick skin up to 4cms thick, and have up to 15cms of fat underneath that skin. This fat helps keep them warm in the artic waters.
Male walruses can grow to 4 metres and weigh up to 1600kg, and females 2.6m and 1250kg. Male walruses sexually mature at 15 years of age, and females at 7-8 (although, they can mature as young as 4!). Gestation lasts 15 months, and lactation is 1 to 2 years. Some female walruses produce a pup every other year, but usually every third year. Walruses live for in excess of 40 years.
Walruses are carnivores. They eat clams, snails, worms, mussels, sea cucumbers, and other animals that live on the sea floor. They may also eat seals if they are really starving, even though they are close relatives.
Walruses are hunted not only by humans (for their ivory tusks, meat and skin), but also by killer whales and polar bears. They live on the edge of the artic sheet inhabiting the ice-floes in the shallower waters of the artic (in NORTH AMERICA Sam!!), moving south for the winter, and north for the summer.
Walruses live both on land and in water. They are very efficent swimmers, swimming up to 35km/h, averaging 7km/h. They live in large groups, often with in excess of 2000 other walruses. These creatures have the ability to walk as fast as humans on land. Instead of dragging their behinds like seals, they are able to walk on all fours.
Walruses sleep in the water. They fill air sacs under their throats with air, which enables them to bob vertically in the water and sleep. (I wonder if they wake up disoriented because they wouldn't know where the tide would take them as they are sleeping...)
Walruses (walrii??) are easily identified by two large tusks protrouding from their mouths (each walruses mouth - they don't have multiple mouths...). They are the only pinnipeds that have these tusks. These tusks can grow to be over one metre in length. (They'd be heavy teeth...). They have thick skin up to 4cms thick, and have up to 15cms of fat underneath that skin. This fat helps keep them warm in the artic waters.
Male walruses can grow to 4 metres and weigh up to 1600kg, and females 2.6m and 1250kg. Male walruses sexually mature at 15 years of age, and females at 7-8 (although, they can mature as young as 4!). Gestation lasts 15 months, and lactation is 1 to 2 years. Some female walruses produce a pup every other year, but usually every third year. Walruses live for in excess of 40 years.
Walruses are carnivores. They eat clams, snails, worms, mussels, sea cucumbers, and other animals that live on the sea floor. They may also eat seals if they are really starving, even though they are close relatives.
Walruses are hunted not only by humans (for their ivory tusks, meat and skin), but also by killer whales and polar bears. They live on the edge of the artic sheet inhabiting the ice-floes in the shallower waters of the artic (in NORTH AMERICA Sam!!), moving south for the winter, and north for the summer.
Walruses live both on land and in water. They are very efficent swimmers, swimming up to 35km/h, averaging 7km/h. They live in large groups, often with in excess of 2000 other walruses. These creatures have the ability to walk as fast as humans on land. Instead of dragging their behinds like seals, they are able to walk on all fours.
Walruses sleep in the water. They fill air sacs under their throats with air, which enables them to bob vertically in the water and sleep. (I wonder if they wake up disoriented because they wouldn't know where the tide would take them as they are sleeping...)
