Walrus
The walrus came up in a dream a few weeks ago, and since then, I've been on a mission to find out the deeper meaning of his presence, or rather, his eruption from the water in front of my face. They're not the most attractive of mammals, and I'll confess to seeing them as cumbersome and characterless before I bothered to read up on these ancient-looking pinnipeds. I mean, come on, they're not the most attractive of creatures, are they?
Key Characteristics & Facts
The walrus is a highly sociable and noisy animal which is not aggressive despite having huge, scary-looking tusks that can stretch up to three feet long. The tusks are primarily used to help navigate the ice, which is how they earned their Latin name Odobenus rosmarus - which translates as tooth-walking sea cow. The walrus has terrible eyesight and instead relies on a great sense of smell. They're incredibly sensitive to touch and will actively seek physical contact within the herd. The lifespan is between twenty and thirty years in the wild, and their only natural predators are polar bears and killer whales. There are commercial hunting restrictions as they began to face extinction during the 19th century. Although disappointingly, I found several websites that offered special tours to avid hunters. The Pacific walrus is currently on the waiting list for endangered species despite their numbers being high; the diminishing areas of pack ice means they're losing their natural habitat at an alarming rate. They have an average moving speed around that of a human, four miles per hour, and when needed, they can reach speeds of up to twenty miles an hour on land. So, they're certainly not as cumbersome as I had assumed.
Mating & Relating
Females reach maturity at five years old, whereas males don't reach full adulthood until around ten. Interestingly, mating will often be delayed for up to five years after reaching full maturity. The walrus will live in herds of its own sex, and during mating season, the males will enter the water in front of the females and perform a vocal ritual to attract a mate. Females are highly protective of their young, and the nursing mothers will form nurseries which are separate from the main herd. The males play no part in rearing the offspring, but they will help to protect the female herds from predators.
Human? Weird Shit for Freaks & Uniques!
If the walrus is your totem animal, there's a possibility that your sexual side will be kept under wraps a little longer than is average for your peer group. The walrus says that friendship is higher on your list of priorities than intimate relationships. The chances are that the men and women who love the walrus will be fond of their one-night stands, yet discretion is assured as sexual privacy is very important to these types of people. Sex with a human walrus type is potentially earth-shattering, and the indications say it's the kind that triggers something deep in the psyche. Feeling a temporary connection to the walrus indicates the need for an active social life, which sees you hanging out in groups rather than in a one-to-one setting. You probably need to get out more.
Men - The man who identifies with the walrus will be the one who puts on a performance when he's in the company of a group of women, and I'm sure we've all come across him in the pub on at least one occasion. He's likely to have many women in his sights when he's looking for love, and I doubt he's all that fussy about who he takes home. He'll just wait to see who steps forward and make his move from there. If you think you have a walrus in your sights, it's probably not the best indicator of a supportive male partner, and you'll need to abandon any preconceived ideas of shared parenting or even being provided for.
Women - If you're female, you probably don't want a traditional marriage and could consider single parenthood as a lifestyle choice. You'll most certainly prefer hanging out with the girls to staying at home but can be easily swayed into open waters by a man who says the right words. Music could be an important clue if you need to discern where you're at with someone on a romantic level. All you need to do is take more notice of the lyrics to your favourite song of the week.
