Walrus+Zach+D

= The Walrus: By Zachary Dorf =

General Information:
My animal is the walrus. It lives in the North Pole near the Arctic Ocean because it's food lives in water. Adult walruses can be easily identified because of their big tusks and wiskers. A fully matured adult walrus can weigh up to 3,700 pounds. While newborns will weigh from 73 to 190 lb. Calves are born during the spring migration, from April to June. Females give birth almost every two years, which makes the walrus the slowest reproducting species. Walruses are known to stay in the shallow waters by the shore because that is where most of their food is like mollusks. Walruses are hunted by orcas and the polar bear.

Threats:
In the 20th centry, the population of walruses dropped rapidly in the Arctic. Since then, the population has rebounded but they are still endangered. People hunt walruses because of their blubber, and meat. Native people in the Arctic used to depend on Walruses for food, hides, and bones. They were hunting them as their only source. As the ice melts because of global warming, the population is expected to decrease more than ever before.

What Is Already Being Done:
Some people have gathered the information to create their own website that informs the readers about what is happening to the walruses and why. On their websites they usualy put an option to donate or "adopt" a walrus. By adopting a walrus, donaters help gather the money to send a skilled team to move the walruses to a saver area that can be sustainable to the walruses.

Who Is Helping:
There is a group called "The Defenders" and they try to raise money so that they can move a few walruses to a new habitat that they built for it.

What We Can Do:
Anyone can donate! You can give as much as you want whether it's $1 or even $100. You can even send a letter regaurding the protection of walruses to some of our government leaders. You can also stay informed by subscribing to a weekly email about walruses.

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