Walrus Ice Floe Colouring Page

The walrus is a huge Arctic marine mammal recognised by long ivory tusks, a broad whiskered muzzle, and a powerful body. Pacific walruses live mainly in the Bering and Chukchi seas, while Atlantic walruses occur around Greenland, northern Canada, Svalbard, and parts of the Russian Arctic. Adult females may weigh around 600 to 1,000 kilograms, and large Pacific males can exceed 1,500 kilograms and reach more than 3 metres long. Walruses grow slowly and may live for 35 to 40 years. Both males and females have tusks, which are enlarged canine teeth that keep growing. A walrus can use them to help pull its heavy body onto ice, open breathing holes, and show status in a group. Hundreds of stiff whiskers, called vibrissae, feel across the dark seafloor for clams, worms, snails, and other small animals. The walrus often sucks soft prey from its shell instead of crushing it. Thick blubber insulates the body, while blood flow near the skin changes to conserve or release heat, making resting walruses look pale, pink, or reddish at different times. Walruses are social and may rest close together in groups on ice or land. Females care carefully for a single calf and can carry it with their flippers. On this page, one calm walrus rests on a sturdy ice floe. Colour the skin warm brown, cinnamon, grey-brown, or muted pink, using a lighter shade across the muzzle and belly. The many small wrinkles can receive gentle curved strokes without becoming too dark. Keep the tusks ivory or pale cream, with a tiny golden shadow near the base. Make the whiskers dark brown or charcoal and leave a highlight in each eye. Colour the sea deep blue or turquoise and leave white caps along the waves. Use white and icy blue for the floe, pale blue-grey for distant ice, and soft lavender for shadowed edges. The clouds can remain mostly white. Smooth, broad colouring on the body will make the walrus look solid, warm, and friendly.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

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Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.