Tagging Walruses
In July 2010, scientists traveled to the Chukchi and Bering seas to radio-tag walruses.
Walrus Whereabouts
USGS scientists can follow radio-tagged walruses remotely as they move around the Arctic Basin.
Walrus Watching
Scientists prepare to radio-tag walruses in the Chukchi sea to track movements as sea ice is reduced in the region. (Photo taken June 8, 2009)
Growing Pains
Walrus calves are ashen gray to brown in color and weigh about 99 to 165 pounds (45-75 kg) at birth; within a few weeks, the calves turn reddish brown. Here, a female walrus and her pup on an ice floe in the Chukchi Sea.
Mama and Pup
Female walruses can weigh up to 2,700 pounds (1,225 kilograms) and so require thick enough pack ice to support their heft. Here, a female walrus and her pup on an ice floe in the Chukchi Sea in June 2010.
Walrus Haul-Out
Walruses gathered on Alaskan shores of the Chukchi Sea by the tens of thousands in late August and September of 2010 after the last of the sea ice dissipated.
Two Walrus Haul Outs
Two large walrus haul-outs, estimated to contain 8,000 animals total, were sighted on Aug. 17, 2011. The haul-outs were located slightly north of Alaska, and separated from one another by a very short distance.
Large and in Charge
Walruses are so huge their only natural predators are the orca (killer whale) and the polar bear.
Tooth Walk
Walruses use their tusks to haul themselves out of the water. Their scientific name Odobenus baino comes from Greek words meaning "tooth walk." Here a close-up of a walrus in the Chukchi Sea.
Summer Ice
Normally, the walruses, particularly females with calves, rest on the drifting sea ice between food dives during the summer. Here the animals rest on an ice floe in the Chukchi sea in July 2010.
Resting on Ice
Walruses feed on mollusks, clams and other animals they retrieve by diving from floating ice to the seafloor. Here, the giants are resting on an ice floe in the Chukchi sea.
