Walrus: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Seals and Sea Lions · day 1 of 7

Five facts

1. Meet Wally the walrus: Ireland, Wales, France, Spain, the Isles of Scilly, then Iceland. A wandering star.
2. A walrus's whiskers are so sensitive they can tell shapes apart. It can have 400 to 700 of them.
3. Walruses graze the sea floor for clams, finding them with their whiskers and clearing mud with jets of water.
4. A pouch of air under a walrus's throat works like a built-in float, letting it bob upright and nap in the water.
5. Walrus tusks can reach 1 m long and weigh up to 5.4 kg. They also help the walrus climb out of the water onto ice.

The quiz

1. Which place did Wally visit last?

• Spain
• The Isles of Scilly
• Iceland (correct)
• Wales

Meet Wally the walrus: Ireland, Wales, France, Spain, the Isles of Scilly, then Iceland. A wandering star.

2. How many whiskers can a walrus have?

• 400 to 700 (correct)
• 40 to 70
• 4,000 to 7,000
• 100 to 200

A walrus's whiskers are so sensitive they can tell shapes apart. It can have 400 to 700 of them.

3. What do walruses mainly search for on the sea floor?

• Jellyfish
• Clams (correct)
• Kelp
• Starfish

Walruses graze the sea floor for clams, finding them with their whiskers and clearing mud with jets of water.

4. What does the walrus's throat air sac let it do?

• Dive deeper
• Roar louder
• Warm up faster
• Bob upright and sleep in the water (correct)

Its throat air pouch works like a float, so it can bob upright and sleep in the water.

5. What is the maximum weight of a walrus tusk?

• 0.5 kg
• 5.4 kg (correct)
• 15 kg
• 54 kg

Walrus tusks can reach 1 m long and weigh up to 5.4 kg. They also help the walrus climb out of the water onto ice.

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