Walruses as compared to other mammals have a long span of life of about 50 years though most walruses die well before that period being killed by predators like polar bears, killer whales and mainly humans; at present it is presumed that about 6000 walruses are hunted each year though in reality the number could be substantially high. The lifespan of a walrus on an average is taken to be 35 years.
The nursing period of the baby walruses is 2 years; the maturity age for bulls is 9 years though they continue to grow till the age of 14 or 15 years while for the cows it is 6 years. Often the age of a walrus can be determined by the size of its tusks though the tusks of the walrus bull (3-4 ft) are larger than those of the walrus cow (2 ft). Loss of habitat (melting of ice packs) and scarcity of food result in a reduction in the life span of a walrus.
The nursing period of the baby walruses is 2 years; the maturity age for bulls is 9 years though they continue to grow till the age of 14 or 15 years while for the cows it is 6 years. Often the age of a walrus can be determined by the size of its tusks though the tusks of the walrus bull (3-4 ft) are larger than those of the walrus cow (2 ft). Loss of habitat (melting of ice packs) and scarcity of food result in a reduction in the life span of a walrus.