Walrus: Life on Thin Ice

Follow a paleontologist on an Arctic adventure to uncover the hidden lives of walrus and the threats they face as climate change shrinks the sea ice.

It was once believed that walruses dug for clams with their tusks—but the truth is even stranger. They actually use their powerful tongues, like a piston, to suck clams right out of their shells.

The Arctic “death spiral” refers to the rapid loss of sea ice caused by climate change. For walruses, this means losing the ice platforms they rely on to rest, raise their young, and hunt. Discover how melting sea ice is reshaping their future.

This orphaned baby walrus, dubbed Little Miss Walrus, was found alone on a remote Alaskan beach, just one week old and covered in scratches. She’s now safe at the Alaska SeaLife Center, the only place in the U.S. equipped to care for orphaned walruses, and the 10th calf they’ve rescued since 1998.