Huge Walrus Brutally Attacks a Dinghy With His Sharp Tusks

For some reason, this walrus is absolutely furious with the rubber dinghy. As the small boat is being hauled out of the water and onto a larger ship, the walrus hurls itself out of the water and attacks the soft rubber with its long tusks. The animal manages to cause a lot of damage, and we don’t think that this dinghy is going to be floating anywhere for quite some time!   

Watch the Extraordinary Attack Now

Where Do Walruses Normally Live?

The scientific name for walruses is Odobenus rosmarus. They live in areas of the Arctic that are mostly made up of ice. Their preference is for shallow water because this is where they can find food more easily. Most of their time is spent in water. However, you may spot a female on sand or boulder beaches. Being close to ice is important if you are a walrus. So, they move north during the summer and south in the winter. The ice needs to be quite thin – but not so thin that they will fall through it!

Are Walruses Dangerous?

Given their size (some can weigh over 3,000 pounds) and their long tusks, a walrus has the potential to cause a lot of damage to the human body. However the males in particular, are more likely to use their tusks to attack another male walrus than to attack a human. They rarely come across humans because they spend most of their time in the water. If they do see us, they tend to flee from us. They certainly don’t view us as food because they eat mainly mollusks.

The bad news is that walrus attacks on humans are not unheard of. Adult males can be aggressive during the mating season. They are basically defending their harem of females! Also, females can be aggressive when they have young pups to defend. If a large group of walruses decides to move all at once, humans would be wise to get out of their way very quickly. Walruses are happy to trample anyone or anything in their path. There are a few documented attacks on humans. This includes a man who was killed by one in an Arctic Russian nature reserve when he was trying to take a selfie.

Top tips to avoid getting hurt by a walrus are to always stay 150 feet away from them and not swim or kayak near them. This clip clearly shows what they can do to a boat!

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Mikhail Cheremkin/Shutterstock.com