Walrus

Taken July 5, 2007

This walrus was photographed just off the coast of Lagoya, an island in the north of Svalbard. The island is a typical polar desert and is a good location to observe walruses having hauled out onto the beach.

Walruses only inhabit the cold Arctic seas which they share with many true seals. The most prominent feature of a walrus, its tusks, appear to be used for a variety of purposes: to pull themselves out of the water, to disturb sediment in which they find food and also for defence. Walruses eat molluscs such as clams which they suck out of their shells with extremely powerful lips. In order to detect their food in the sediment, they utilise their highly sensitive whiskers.

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