Walrus

“I’ll be back soon!” Mother walruses often leave their pups on floating sea ice to rest while they dive to forage for food. Although 2,000 pounds may seem like a lot of walrus to move around, these animals are expert swimmers, spending days at sea feeding before using their long tusks to pull themselves onto sea ice, where they join hundreds of others to rest. Unfortunately, walruses are being forced to choose between rest and food, as sea ice recedes into waters too deep for the walrus to forage, leaving them with no place to take a break.

Scientific name: Odobenus rosmarus
Region: Arctic, Oceans