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Walrus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Walrus (disambiguation).
Walrus
Noaa-walrus22.jpg
Conservation status
Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Caniformia
Clade: Pinnipedia
Family: Odobenidae
Genus: Odobenus
Brisson, 1762
Type species
Phoca rosmarus
Linnaeus, 1758[2]
Subspecies
O. rosmarus rosmarus
O. rosmarus divergens
O. rosmarus laptevi (debated)
Odobenus rosmarus distribution.png
Distribution of walrus
Synonyms
Phoca rosmarus Linnaeus, 1758
Walrus cows and yearlings (short tusks). Photo courtesy USFWS
The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is a large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous distribution about the North Pole in the Arctic Ocean and subarctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the family Odobenidae and genus Odobenus. This species is subdivided into three subspecies:[3] the Atlantic walrus (O. r. rosmarus) which lives in the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific walrus (O. r. divergens) which lives in the Pacific Ocean, and O. r. laptevi, which lives in the Laptev Sea of the Arctic Ocean.
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Adult males in the Pacific can weigh more than 2,000 kg (4,400 lb)[4] and, among pinnipeds, are exceeded in size only by the two species of elephant seals.[5] Walruses live mostly in shallow waters above the continental shelves, spending significant amounts of their lives on the sea ice looking for benthic bivalve mollusks to eat. Walruses are relatively long-lived, social animals, and they are considered to be a "keystone species" in the Arctic marine
In Sophocles' Antigone, the dilemma between nomos of the city and nomos of the home divides blood relatives and causes an inevitable conflict. Kreon, Thebes’ ruler, supports nomos of the states and honors polis before oikos. In contrast, Antigone promotes blood ties of oikos and divine laws that govern the dead. Kreon punishes Antigone for carrying out her duty to Polyneikes, and in doing so, he presents a different perspective and reversed order of priorities. In Antigone, polis and oikos depend on one another and share a symbiotic relationship. Since both are unstable, they cannot exist by themselves without problems. This, in turn with Kreon's stubbornness, leads to an untenable encounter.
However, they began to go extinct when North America merged lands with the Southern counterparts, allowing placentals to move into South America and largely outcompete them (Moskowitz ,2010). Placentals now occupy one of the widest range of environments from marine to terrestrial. In order to thrive in the environments they are subjected to, eutherians have evolved various structural adaptations. They vary in size from shrews to whales. Being housed largely in tropical Asia, shrews (Eulipotyphla) are terrestrially adapted to dig burrows to hide from predators and forage for food with their reduced body size. In contrast, whales (cetacea) are the largest creatures dominating deep oceans. With its enlarged body size, its stomach is able to contain one tonne of krill for feeding (WWF, 2016). Contrastingly, the marsupials like kangaroos and koalas, as well as monotremes including the duck billed platypus and spiny anteater, all remained and possesses similar body sizes, completely lacking diversity compared to the
The Humpback whale (Latin Megaptera novaeangliae) is a mammal, which belongs to the rorqual family.
War and time combined together have the ability to ruin someone’s life. Odysseus, who went through war and then spent years away from his family and home still managed to survive after all the experiences he had throughout these long years. He did this simply to get home to his family in Ithaca, his journey set in ancient Greece. Heroicness, among many other things, is often evident in epic heroes, an archetype that Odysseus fits incredibly well. Odysseus’s journey is filled with Greek gods and goddesses, helping Odysseus on his way home to his son, Telemachos, and his wife, Penelopeia. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus displays qualities of an epic hero, particularly through his journey, his interactions with the gods, and his hubris.
Orca whales are the largest members of the dolphin family. Orcas are very curious creatures, they like to sky hop, which is when they poke their heads out of the water and look around, and they can also dive to as much as a hundred feet. These social animals live in pods and stay with them for their whole lives. They are so family oriented that they can may sleep together in a tight circle and have synchronized breathing. Orcas can grow up to thirty-two feet and can weigh nine tons. They typically eat five percent of their body weight and are amazing hunters. The lifespan of an orca in their natural habitat is about fifty years. This lifestyle for them is wonderful because they can swim as far as they want to and are free. Orcas should not be held captive because the capture process is dangerous, it is not good for their health, and their trainers are at risk. Free Willy. Dir Simon Wincer. 1993.Video. Warner Bros Home Video
Helen Keller was a woman famous for overcoming blindness and being deaf. Keller once said, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. This means that character traits are developed as an individual has to deal with experiences. In the book The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus has to overcome many obstacles that shape some of his traits. A couple of Odysseus’ traits include loyalty and being crafty; meanwhile, I have the same traits.
As summer approaches, blue whales migrate to feeding grounds near the north or south poles. Concentrations of krill are greatest in these areas during the summer, and it is then that the whales eat huge amounts of food. Groups of blue whales can be seen at this time, especially around Antarctica. In the fall, after feeding for half a year, the whales begin to swim toward warmer water to mate and to give birth to their young in the warmer, calmer water. Females give birth to one calf every two or three years. Newborn calves are about 23 ft long and weigh almost 6000 lbs. The hungry babies may drink more than 50 gal of rich milk from their mothers daily, and grow very quickly, gaining up to 200 lbs a day.
One of the most fascinating creatures in the ocean is the narwhal. This arctic whale can be recognized by its single spiraled tusk that extends six to nine feet out of its upper jaw (“Morning Edition”). The scientific name for the narwhal, Monodon monoceros is Latin for “one tooth, one horn”. However, the narwhal actually has two teeth and no horns (“Narwhal.org”). In the male narwhal, the left tooth grows into the spiral tusk that is often mistakenly referred to as a “horn”. In rare cases a double-tusk will grow. In general, females do not grow tusks. Their teeth will usually stay shorter than 15 centimeters (“Narwhals”).
There is a long list of endangered animals. On that list is the animal I am currently researching, and that is the polar bear. Polar bears are animals that mostly lives in the North Pole and other ice covered oceans. The mass of an adult female polar bear is 330-350 pounds and an adult male is 990 pounds. Their speed is twenty-five miles per hour and the height of an adult female is 6.6 feet (on hind legs) and an adult male is 4.4 feet at shoulder (or all four legs). Also, polar bears can weigh as much as a grand piano. Their life span is about 20-30 years.
Although Odysseus is believed to be the ideal hero, Spongebob Squarepants is the real hero. Odysseus has many heroic qualities, but Spongebob’s actions and true intentions in The Spongebob Squarepants Movie prove he is a true hero.
Orcas, commonly known as killer whales, are actually the largest member of the dolphin family. They were given the name “killer whale” by sailors who often observed them attacking and killing seals, sea lions, walruses, penguins, dolphins, polar bears and even other whales (Orcas).
First, the largest penguin species existing today are emperor penguins. Although there was a penguin fossil found that was 5 feet long, today they may reach up to 45 inches and about 84 pounds. Secondly, they live in the antarctic, the coldest place on earth, where it may reach negative 80 degrees with winds at 120 miles per hour. Thirdly, they were created to live in this cold environment. They have overlapping feathers that are waterproof, due to a special oil produced by their body. They can dive as deep as 869 feet into the freezing cold water and may hold their breath for up to 8 minutes. Next, their diet includes fish, krill and squid. Their tongue is specially designed for these specific foods. Fifthly, they can live up to about 20 years. Their predators include, leopard seals, orcas, fur seals, sea lions and sharks. Sadly, almost 80 percent of the chicks do not make it to their first birthday due to either the weather or their predators. Lastly, their feather pattern is a form of camouflage from their underwater
Orcas, or killer whales are majestic giants of the sea. They are actually the largest type of dolphin. They have long black bodies with distinct white patches near their eyes. A killer whale can be up to 32 feet or more in length, and weigh up to 12,000 pounds. Females are a bit smaller, but live longer (Gorman). The name “killer whale” apparently came not because it is a vicious whale, but because it preys on whales. They do not have any natural predators, and they are considered the “top dog” of the ocean. Not even the great white shark stands a chance against these superb killers. “Unlike sharks, killer whales are cautious hunters, sometimes spending hours harassing a 1,000-pound sea lion so it can easily be drowned” (Francis). Orcas use many hunting tactics that are unique to their species, which is what makes them invincible.
The Humpback Whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, is part of the marine mammals group. They are found in oceans all over the world, they live in open waters. Even though they are mammals, they do not live on land (Monterey Bay Aquarium). Humpback whales are known for their magical song that can travel great distances. These gentle giants are omnivores, their main diet is krill. They are mostly found near coastlines feeding on tiny shrimp-like krill, plankton and small fish. Humpbacks migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding water closer to the Equator. Humpback whales are powerful swimmers, and they use their massive tail fin, called a fluke to propel themselves through or even out of the water! Mothers and their young swim close together, often touching one another with their flippers with what appears to be gestures of affection. Even though it takes more than one year for a humpback whale to grow fully, mother whales leave them after one year (National Geographic).
Did you know in the world there are more than 90 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises? (WDC) The dolphin is a very important animal to the ocean and there are many different types to discover. In order to learn about dolphins, it is important to discuss where they live, their appearance, and what they eat. Some helpful words to understand are “dorsal fin”, a dorsal fin is the top pointed fin on the dolphins back, “flippers”, a flipper is a flat fin that dolphins use to swim, and “echolocation” is a tool dolphins use to find food by sounds bouncing off of objects (dictionary.com).