How does a walrus breed?
Walruses mate both in the water and on land, and may copulate several times to increase the chance of fertilization. Like other mammals, they mate using internal reproduction. Males have penile bones with which they extend their reproductive organs.
Do male walruses mate with other males?
Walruses have various behaviors of reproduction, depending on whether they are male or female. Every mating season, the female will mate with only one male. However, the male walrus will possibly mate with a number of females (Svalbard).
How does a walrus interact with its ecosystem?
Walruses can have a large effect on their prey and play an important role in the Arctic ecosystem by influencing the structure of benthic invertebrate communities. They can eat more than 50 clams during a single 7-minute dive to the seafloor and consume 35–50 kilograms (77–110 pounds) of food per day.
What is the purpose of walrus tusks?
Both male and female walruses have large tusks They use these tusks to help them haul themselves out of the water and onto sea ice. Their tusks are also used for fighting with other walruses, and defence against predators.
Where do walruses breed?
Mating takes place off the pack ice, underwater and remote from shore; breeding locations are thus largely inaccessible for observation. Each herd of estrous females is attended by one or more large adult males. According to one study, the ratio of males to females averaged 1 to 23.
How long are walruses pregnant for?
15 – 16 months
Walrus/Gestation period
How long are walruses pregnant?
Do walruses have multiple partners?
Two walruses fight for dominance. During their lifetimes, male and female walruses live apart, in separate herds. Females stay with the same herd throughout their lives, and males leave their birth herd after two to three years to join the male herd.
How are walruses protected?
In the United States, the walrus became a federally protected species with the passage of the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act. This Act established a moratorium on the taking and importation of various marine mammals, their parts, and products.
What are walruses predators?
As they are very large, walruses have few natural predators, but polar bears and killer whales are known to occasionally attack them.
How do walruses sleep?
Marine Mammals and Sleep When walruses sleep in the water, they usually lie at the bottom, float along the surface, or lean against something while in a standing position. They can even hook their tusks onto an ice floe and sleep that way. Like elephants, walruses can go for days without sleep.