Seal vs Walrus: What's the Difference?
A walrus is bigger than any seal except the elephant seals, and has long tusks and almost hairless skin. The seal can be dangerous to people; the walrus isn't dangerous to people.
Quick answers
They differ on 1 of the 8 quick answers: dangerous.
| Question | Seal | Walrus |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? | Yes | Yes |
| Dangerous? differs | Can be | No |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? | Day & night | Day & night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | In places | In places |
At a glance
| Question | Seal | Walrus |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Oceans, Arctic, Antarctic | Arctic |
| Habitat differs | Coast, Open ocean, Polar | Polar, Coast, Open ocean |
| Size differs | Large | Huge |
| Length differs | 1 m (Baikal seal) to 5 m (southern elephant seal) | 2.7–3.2 m |
| Weight differs | 45 kg (Baikal seal) to 3,200 kg (southern elephant seal) | 600–1,500 kg; Pacific males can top 2,000 kg |
| Legs | None | None |
| Covered in differs | Fur | Skin |
| Lives differs | In colonies | In herds |
| Lives for differs | 25–30 years | 30–40 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Seal
Flippered marine mammals: the true seals, the sea lions and fur seals, and the walrus, 34 species in all. They eat at sea but come ashore to breed and rest.
Walrus
A huge Arctic pinniped with long ivory tusks, bristly whiskers and a nearly hairless body. It spends much of its life on the sea ice, feeding on clams and other shellfish from the sea floor.
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Commonly confused animals.