Atlantic Walrus at Svalbard --- The World's largest pinniped.

[Gottshotz]

Pinnipeds are aquatic, carnivorous mammals with all four limbs modified into flippers ( also includes seals).
This female --- males have larger, heavier tusks and are much bigger --- was resting on a small ice flow near Tollneset, Svalbard, until our expedition ship intruded into her personal space, and she took to the water.

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They feed largely on mollusks, especially Clams, crustaceans and small fish. Using their highly sensitive whiskers to locate prey in murky light or even complete darkness. The high vaulted palate and piston-like tongue create suction strong enough to pull Clams and snails right out of their shells.

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Also known to scavenge dead whales, and some old rogue males attack and eat seals.

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[Woodyg3]

She is beautiful. Well captured, nice job.

 

[frdjohns]

Really nice images, and I enjoyed the back story as well - I learned a few things!

 

[Gottshotz]

She is beautiful. Well captured, nice job.

Thanks Woody, she hung around for just long enough to get the shots.

 

[Gottshotz]

Really nice images, and I enjoyed the back story as well - I learned a few things!

Thanks Fred, yep, the older I get the more I learn too --- however, I probably remember less as well

 

[JoeB]

Beautifully captured. Well done.

Joe

 

[Gottshotz]

Beautifully captured. Well done.

Joe

Thanks Joe, I wa's very happy to get a single animal on its own --- so often they huddle together on a haul- out and it's difficult to get detail.

 

[Bill M]

Love the composition of the second shot where she appears to be giving you the eye.

 

[Gottshotz]

Love the composition of the second shot where she appears to be giving you the eye.

Thanks Bill, its been a long time since any lady has done that to me !

 

[Cristobal]

Great capture! After seing those beautiful images, I took a look on some surveys of this emblematic animal in the Canadian arctic where the population seems very stable; this is encouraging!

 

[Irap]

Very nice set David

 

[Gottshotz]

Great capture! After seing those beautiful images, I took a look on some surveys of this emblematic animal in the Canadian arctic where the population seems very stable; this is encouraging!

Thanks Cristobal, the Svalbard walrus population is slowly increasing, despite being red listed and having almost been hunted to extinction over the last 350 years, so that's good news. It will be interesting to see how they cope with increased predation from polar bears who are switching from their preferred seal diet as the pack ice retreats further north each year!

 

[Gottshotz]

Very nice set David

Thanks Ira, they are impressive animals, although not as big as the Elephant seals I have seen in the Gulf of Valdez, South Atlantic.

 

[Woody Meristem]

Wonderful photos, ya done good. I don't remember ever seeing a photograph of a single walrus on a forum, you may have scored a first.

 

[Gottshotz]

Wonderful photos, ya done good. I don't remember ever seeing a photograph of a single walrus on a forum, you may have scored a first.

Thanks Woody, you may be right as all the rest I saw were in groups.

 

[Charles Loy]

Interesting information. Very nice photos, looks to weigh a large poundage

 

[Gottshotz]

Interesting information. Very nice photos, looks to weigh a large poundage

Thanks Charles, this female looked on the small side to me, about 900 lbs, and the males are usually much heavier, on average by about 1000 lbs extra --- These Atlantic Walrus are smaller than their Pacific cousins where the males vary between 1750 lbs and 3750 lbs, females between 880 lbs and 2750 lbs.. Male Atlantic Walrus average around 2000 lbs..

 

[ssheipel]

Great shots. Wow!

 

[Gottshotz]

Great shots. Wow!

Thanks Steven, lucky to come across her out of the water --- usually head shots only are seen this far off land.

 

[S_Funk]

Excellent shots!! I also love the information that you shared with the photos.

 

[Gottshotz]

Excellent shots!! I also love the information that you shared with the photos.

Thanks, glad you enjoyed them ----- I believe that extra info adds to our appreciation of the subject.

 

[Activert]

Excellent photos of a beautiful lady!

 

[Gottshotz]

Excellent photos of a beautiful lady!

Thanks Lina, just lucky to have spotted her before she dived under !

 

[Activert]

Thanks Lina, just lucky to have spotted her before she dived under !

So lucky to be there in the right moment and thanks for sharing all these amazing shots with us. I hope you will continue to take more photos as beautiful as what you shared with us.

 

[Gottshotz]

So lucky to be there in the right moment and thanks for sharing all these amazing shots with us. I hope you will continue to take more photos as beautiful as what you shared with us.

Hi Lina, I certainly intend to take more photos and post them on this forum --- there are more Arctic shots to follow along with some birds from Spain ( see the Golden Eagle shots posted here last week ).