Body size of male Atlantic walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) from Svalbard

• Published in: Journal of Zoology
• Main Authors: Whg, Ø., Gjertz, I.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1996
• Subjects: Greenland; Pacific; Svalbard; laptev; Odobenus rosmarus; walrus*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1996.tb05300.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1469-7998.1996.tb05300.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1996.tb05300.x; https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1996.tb05300.x

Morphometric data are given for 41 adult male Atlantic walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) immobilized at Svalbard. Total body weight ranged from 960 to 1450 kg. Standard body length ranged from 258 to 380 cm, while curvilinear tusk length ranged from 17 to 65 cm. Immobilized animals were selected for their large size. The sample is therefore biased towards larger animals. Based on regression equations developed for walruses caught in Greenland, the weights of Svalbard walruses were estimated from standard body length and axillary girth. Estimated weights ranged from 632 to 1883 kg. The present data suggest that Atlantic walruses at Svalbard can attain the same body size as Pacific ( O. r. divergens ) and Laptev walruses (O. r. laptevi).