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Walrus

Odobenus rosmarus

Mammal · family Odobenidae · order Carnivora

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G4: apparently secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Walrus
Photo: Nixette, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G4 Apparently Secure[2]
Native in
1 state[3]
Typical length
142 in[4]

The walrus is a large marine mammal in the family Odobenidae, part of the order Carnivora[5]. In the US, NatureServe lists it as native only in Alaska[3], and it is not listed under the Endangered Species Act[1].

Conservation status

NatureServe ranks the walrus G4 (Apparently Secure) worldwide[2] and N4 (Apparently Secure) in the United States[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Vulnerable[7]. The walrus is not listed under the ESA[1], and it is on CITES Appendix III, which means there are controls on international trade[8].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G4 (Apparently Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N4 (Apparently Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Vulnerable
CITES (international trade)[8] Appendix III

Where Walrus lives

NatureServe lists the walrus as native in 1 US state, Alaska[3]. GBIF records of walrus have also been reported from New Jersey, Virginia, California and North Carolina[9]. These records show where people report sightings, not where walruses live in numbers[9].

Alaska: native, state rank S3AKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[10].
Show state ranks (1 states)
StateRankMeaning
AlaskaS3Vulnerable

Habitat

Walruses live on sea ice, rocky shores, tidal flats, open water away from shore and waters near the coast[11]. In winter all walruses use floating ice, and mothers with young stay on ice in summer too[12]. The ice must be at least 60 cm thick to hold them, and they like newer ice that has open water gaps rather than solid sheets[12]. Adult males rest and shed on remote beaches in summer, and walruses tend to stay in shallow water under 100 m deep[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size and diet

Walruses mostly eat clams and other shellfish, plus many other animals that live on the sea floor[13]. They eat the soft body and leave the shell behind[13]. One estimate puts the diet at 80% invertebrates, 10% warm-blooded vertebrates and 10% fish[14]. A typical adult is about 360 cm (142 in) long[4] and weighs about 1265 kg (2789 lb)[15]. Pregnancy lasts 15 to 16 months, and young are born on floating ice[16][12].

Trait Value
Typical length[4] 360 cm (142 in)
Typical adult weight[15] 1265 kg (2789 lb)
Food habits[17] Invertivore
Active[18] nocturnal, crepuscular, diurnal
Migration[19] long-distance migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[14]

  • 80% invertebrates
  • 10% warm-blooded vertebrates
  • 10% fish

When to look for it

Walruses are mostly active in the daytime (diurnal)[20], and they feed most in the early morning and rest for the rest of the day[21]. They are long-distance migrants[19]. Starting in April, females and young move north as the sea ice pulls back, and some may travel more than 3000 km in a year[22]. GBIF records in the US peak in May, June and August[23].

January: 17 recordsJanFebruary: 26 recordsFebMarch: 354 recordsMarApril: 1,165 recordsAprMay: 9,080 recordsMayJune: 3,188 recordsJunJuly: 933 recordsJulAugust: 1,272 recordsAugSeptember: 910 recordsSepOctober: 723 recordsOctNovember: 9 recordsNovDecember: 11 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[23].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January17
February26
March354
April1,165
May9,080
June3,188
July933
August1,272
September910
October723
November9
December11

Where to see it

States with the most GBIF observation records: Alaska, New Jersey, Virginia, California, North Carolina[9]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the walrus endangered?
The walrus is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. The IUCN category recorded by NatureServe is Vulnerable[7], and NatureServe ranks it Apparently Secure in the US[6].
Where do walruses live in the US?
NatureServe lists the walrus as native only in Alaska[3]. They use sea ice, shores and shallow coastal waters[11][12].
What do walruses eat?
Walruses feed mainly on clams and other animals from the sea floor[13]. Their diet is estimated at 80% invertebrates, 10% warm-blooded vertebrates and 10% fish[14].
How big is a walrus?
A typical walrus is about 360 cm (142 in) long[4] and weighs about 1265 kg (2789 lb)[15].
When can you see walruses?
US GBIF records peak in May, June and August[23]. Walruses are mostly active in the daytime and feed most in the early morning[20][21].

Facts and sources

  1. Walrus is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for Walrus: G4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists Walrus as native in 1 US state or territory: Alaska. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 360 cm (142 in). NatureServe Explorer
  5. Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is a mammal in the family Odobenidae, order Carnivora. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N4 (Apparently Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Vulnerable. NatureServe Explorer
  8. CITES listing recorded by NatureServe: Appendix III (controls on international trade). NatureServe Explorer
  9. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Walrus: Alaska, New Jersey, Virginia, California, North Carolina. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  10. NatureServe state ranks for Walrus (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for Walrus: Ice, Bare rock/talus/scree, Tidal flat/shore, Pelagic, Near shore. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for Walrus. NatureServe Explorer
  13. NatureServe notes on food for Walrus. NatureServe Explorer
  14. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 80% invertebrates, 10% warm-blooded vertebrates, 10% fish. EltonTraits 1.0
  15. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 1265 kg (2789 lb). NatureServe Explorer
  16. NatureServe notes on reproduction for Walrus. NatureServe Explorer
  17. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore. NatureServe Explorer
  18. Activity time in EltonTraits 1.0: nocturnal, crepuscular, diurnal. EltonTraits 1.0
  19. NatureServe migration category for Walrus: long-distance migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  20. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  21. NatureServe notes on phenology for Walrus. NatureServe Explorer
  22. NatureServe notes on migration for Walrus. NatureServe Explorer
  23. GBIF observation records of Walrus in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Nixette, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.