The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is a large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and sub-Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the Odobenidae family and is further subdivided into two or three subspecies; the Atlantic walrus (O. rosmarus rosmarus), the Pacific walrus (O. rosmarus divergens) and a possible third sub-species in the Laptev Sea (O. rosmarus laptevi). Walruses are immediately recognizable due to their prominent tusks, whiskers and great bulk. Adult Pacific males can weigh up to 4,500 lbs, and, among pinnipeds, are exceeded in size only by the elephant seals.Fay, F.H. (1985). Odobenus rosmarus. Mammalian Species. No. 238, pp. 1-7. They reside primarily in shallow oceanic shelf habitat, spending a significant proportion of the