Do female walruses get tusks?

Most walruses have 18 teeth. The two canine teeth in the upper jaw are modified into long ivory tusks. Both males and females have tusks. The tusks of males tend to be longer, straighter, and stouter than those of females.

Do female walruses have horns?

Both male and female walruses have tusks that grow continuously throughout their lives. These tusks are used as symbols of age, sex, and social status. Tusks aid walruses in climbing onto ice floes from the water, they can also be used for defence and males may use them while fighting during breeding season.

How do female walruses use their tusks?

Walruses use their long ivory tusks to haul their heavy bodies up onto the ice, to forage for food, and to defend against predators. The main role of the tusks, however, is a social one. Walruses use them in their herd for dominance and mating displays.

Do baby walruses have tusks?

The tusks are enlarged canine teeth, and both males and females grow them, although the males can be quite a bit larger. Babies are born without tusks, but they begin to grow out of the gums at about 6 months old, and will start to appear from under the top lip at about 14 months.

Do walruses have tongues?

The tongues of several walruses were examined in terms of gross morphology, anatomy and histology. Compared to the tongues of other pinnipeds , most of which eat fish, the tongue of the walrus is broad, thick, short and smooth.

Do walruses have gills?

They can only stay under water for 10-15 minutes because they do not have gills and must breath air. Fact 5: Walruses are carnivores, which means they eat meat such as clams and mussels, a variety of fish and other sea creatures! They are known to eat up to 5,000 clams at a single sitting.

What is the lifespan of a walrus?

The average lifespan of a walrus in the wild is 16 to 30 years. It takes approximately 15 to 16 months after mating for the young to arrive, called calves. The process of delayed implantation occurs for the walrus so the development of the young in the mother’s body doesn’t even start until 3 or 4 months after mating has occurred.

Do walruses have a tail?

Walruses have large and elongated bodies that are wider at the head and neck and taper towards their tail which is embedded in a web of skin. Their tough and wrinkled skin is covered by a layer of sparse, coarse hairs and is generally grey or brown in colour.