Walruses in the Arctic | Life, behaviour, and conservation challenges

With their immense blubbery forms and iconic ivory tusks, walruses seem like echoes from another era: imposing, bellowing figures sprawled on drifting ice or gathered tightly on rocky shores. Encountering them in the wild offers not only an exciting photo opportunity, but also a glimpse into a world still shaped by the movements of ice and tides. 

Walruses are a keystone species, because of their role as ecological engineers. As they forage along the seafloor, they churn up sediment, unearthing mollusks and releasing nutrients into the water column. This disturbance not only makes buried food accessible to themselves, but also to zooplankton, fish, and other invertebrates. 

Where walruses live in the Arctic

Walruses are found across the Arctic ocean, and their range is divided between two subspecies: the Atlantic walrus and the Pacific walrus. Atlantic walruses inhabit the coastal regions of the European and Canadian Arctic, with notable populations around Svalbard and Greenland. These areas offer the combination of shallow waters and accessible haul-out spots, either on sea ice or land. By contrast, Pacific walruses roam the Bering and Chukchi Seas between Alaska and Russia. Larger in both size and number, they follow the retreating ice edge north each summer, covering greater distances than their Atlantic relatives.

Both subspecies depend on shallow continental shelf areas rich in benthic life. These productive coastal zones are where walruses dive to feed on clams, mussels, and other invertebrates buried in the seafloor. Equally essential are haul-out sites, places where walruses gather in large numbers to rest. In the past, these were mostly ice floes, but with Arctic sea ice becoming less predictable, land-based haul-outs are becoming more common, bringing new challenges.

Walrus life cycle and behaviour

The life of a walrus is paced by the slow pulse of Arctic seasons, marked by deep social bonds, fierce competition, and slow development.

Mating takes place in the heart of winter. In the water, males gather near groups of females, using vocalisations, body displays, and physical sparring to compete for attention. Only the largest, most dominant bulls usually succeed in mating, and they do so with multiple females. After conception, the fertilised egg pauses its development for several months, a process known as delayed implantation, before beginning a long gestation.

Haul-Outs: how walruses rest and gather

Where to see walruses in the Arctic

Svalbard

In Svalbard, this seasonal separation is clearly visible, although mixed haul-outs are not uncommon. The archipelago is home to some of the most dependable and accessible haul-out sites in the Arctic. During our expeditions, we often visit locations such as Poolepynten, Torellneset, Smeerenburg, Wahlbergøya, Gullybukta, and Kvitøya, which offer opportunities to observe walrus behaviour.

Greenland

While the Greenland coast hosts Atlantic walruses, land-based haul-outs are much less common compared to Svalbard.  The north and east coasts offer some chances of seeing haul-outs, while in the west, particularly around Davis Strait, Baffin Bay, and the Thule district, they are rarely seen on land. For land-based encounters, Svalbard remains the most reliable destination.

What do walruses eat 

Despite their enormous size, walruses are highly specialised bottom feeders. They are adapted for life along the shallow coastal shelves of the Arctic. Their diet consists almost entirely of invertebrates, especially clams and mussels. A single adult can consume up to seventy kilograms during a feeding session.

They forage by touch rather than sight. Using their sensitive whiskers, walruses root along the seafloor, feeling for shapes buried in the sediment. Once prey is found, they feed using suction. By pulling their piston-like tongue back quickly, they create a vacuum inside their mouths, which allows them to suck out the soft parts of the mollusks. The empty shells fall back to the bottom, often in large, scattered piles which create new microhabitats.

Most feeding takes place in waters between ten and 100 metres deep. Dives usually last two to five minutes, though walruses are capable of staying submerged for up to 30 minutes and have been recorded diving at depths of more than 500 metres. After each dive, they surface briefly to breathe before returning to the bottom. Between feeding sessions, they can rest for many days at their haul-out sites! 

While most walruses feed exclusively on invertebrates, some individuals have been seen preying on seals and seabirds. These cases are rare but documented, often involving large males with limited access to their usual prey.

Walrus predators and Arctic threats

Walruses have few natural predators. Only polar bears and orcas are known to prey on them, and even then, they tend to favour easier or more familiar targets such as seals. Adult walruses are large, well armed, and socially cohesive, which makes them difficult and risky to hunt.

Today, the most significant threats to walruses come from shifting climate and increasing human activity. The loss of seasonal sea ice is changing how and where walruses feed and rest. With less floating ice, they now rely more on land-based haul-outs, which can become overcrowded. When disturbed on land, panicked animals may trigger stampedes, often with fatal consequences for young calves.

However, while the species has shown signs of recovery in some regions, many populations remain at risk due to ongoing habitat loss and disturbance, as highlighted by the IUCN, which lists the species as Near Threatened on its Red List . 

As access to the Arctic increases, so does pressure from noise, ships, and tourism. Walruses are highly sensitive to sound: engine noise, low-flying aircraft, or approaching vessels can cause them to abandon haul-out sites. The challenge now is not just to protect walruses through laws, but to ensure their space remains quiet enough for them to thrive.

How to see walruses in the wild responsibly 

Watching walruses in their natural environment is an exciting and amusing experience. In places like Svalbard these encounters are fairly common, but they come with a shared responsibility to minimise disturbance and respect the animals’ space.

The key is presence without pressure. A quiet approach from downwind, slow movements, and stillness during observation all help create a calm atmosphere where the animals can continue behaving undisturbed. As guides, we are constantly watching for any signs of stress in the animals and follow the Arctic wildlife watching guidelines to ensure safe and respectful encounters; so make sure to pay attention to what your expedition leader is communicating. Whether on shore or from a ship or zodiac, our goal is to be like a fly on the wall.

Seasonal conditions shape what you are likely to see. Early in the season (typically late April to June), when sea ice is abundant, walruses will use it as a platform to rest and drift with it. As summer approaches and the ice starts retreating, they begin returning to their usual land haul-out sites, and they remain there through the warm months. These shifts help expeditions target the right sites at the appropriate time.

Tourism, when guided thoughtfully, can support awareness and conservation. Secret Atlas expeditions include onboard talks that give context to the lives of these animals, the challenges they face, and the importance of protecting their habitats. These moments lead to a deeper connection with the Arctic, grounded in care and quiet observation.