# Are Walruses Endangered?

> Are walruses endangered? Status Vulnerable, main threats, and what protection means.

- **Species:** Walrus (*Odobenus rosmarus*)
- **Conservation status:** Vulnerable
- **Diet:** Carnivore — clams, molluscs, and occasional seals or seabirds
- **Habitat:** Arctic seas, pack ice, and coastal haul-outs
- **Lifespan:** 30–40 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 35 km/h (22 mph) in water
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/walrus/are-walrus-endangered/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/walrus/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

Walruses are massive pinnipeds of the Arctic, with males weighing up to 1,700 kg (3,750 lb) and sporting elongated canine tusks used for hauling out on ice, fighting, and sensing the seafloor. They feed mainly on clams and molluscs on shallow seabeds and gather in huge haul-outs on ice or land.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need the full biology — use the [Walrus profile](https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/walrus/) instead.

## Tusks and feeding

Walrus tusks are elongated upper canines that can exceed one metre in large males. They are used to pull the body onto ice, establish dominance, and help the walrus 'feel' the seabed while foraging. A walrus may consume thousands of clams in a day, using powerful lips to suck meat from shells.

## Help protect the Walrus

Walruses depend on sea ice that is shrinking as the Arctic warms, forcing dangerous overcrowding on land.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/walrus/are-walrus-endangered/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.