When you meet a walrus for the first time they have so many unique characteristics that catch your eye. Large eyes, broad shoulders, lots of blubber, and tusks. A lot of people don’t know both the male and the female walrus have tusks.
Can you believe tusks sometimes reach lengths in excess of 3 feet?! Tusks are actually large canines and typically the male walrus has larger tusks. Do you know what a tusk is used for? You might find a male using his tusks to exert his dominance over another male. A mother walrus might use her tusks to protect her calf. Both males and females can use them to haul out on ice and even for dragging through sediment when foraging for mollusks and other prey.
SeaWorld San Antonio is home to 18-year-old Dozer. It is amazing to watch how aware he is of his tusks. In his lifetime he has learned husbandry behaviors that aid the SeaWorld team in taking excellent care of him. A layout, for example, is a behavior that makes it very easy for veterinary staff to look over his body to make sure he is healthy. When asked for this behavior he simply lays his head down and turns it to the side.
Dozer is capable of making a variety of interesting sounds. If you met a walrus in the Arctic circle where they are found their vocalizations might be used for attracting a mate, warning others of predators and even to intimidate a rival.
Do you want to learn more about the walrus? Check out the amazing information on the Sea World website about the walrus and many other animals that call SeaWorld and Busch Gardens home. You can also learn about the SWBG Conservation Fund. This non-profit organization has successfully awarded more than $1 million in grants this year to benefit animals in need and endangered species around the world.
