Animal Guidance Series: Walrus Medicine

Call IT In with Dar

In this A through Z animal podcast series, we begin the w's…with the amazing walrus found primarily in icy Arctic waters, they can withstand freezing temperatures as low as 95 degrees below zero. Wow. There are two main subspecies who live to be around 40 years old, and a male walrus can actually weigh more than a ton. Overall, walruses symbolize many things, including ancient knowledge, seeing the bigger picture, nourishing others strength and positive motherhood. Shamans believe that the walrus spirit is the keeper of ancient knowledge and wisdom. Both male and female walruses grow long tusks which helped them adapt better to their Arctic life. They often use them like ski poles to dig into sand, snow and ice to help them haul their enormous bodies out of the freezing ocean waters. Their Tusks are also used during swimming to cut holes in the ice so that they can come up for a breath. These massive animals need thick layers of blubber to stay insulated. All that fat protects them from the cold. A baby walrus can weigh as much as an average size human. Those chunky little critters are called calves and they stay with their mother, a cow, until they are about two years old. Walruses eat shellfish like clams that they grabbed from the ocean floor, along with mussels, sea cucumbers and some fish. They have very sensitive whiskers that help them detect food. Once they've spotted their prey, they're surprisingly speedy swimmers.

So called in the spirit of the walrus. Call it in for life well lived! “Call IT in With Dar!”
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Photo credit: Rebecca Lange Photography

Music credit: Kevin MacLeod Incompetech.com (licensed under Creative Commons)

Production credit: Erin Schenke @ Emerald Support Services LLC.

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