At ERGO, we believe all life is inter-connected and that we have more in common with the animate and inanimate things that share our world than we think. Human Vs. compares an element of humanity to an entity of the nonhuman world to demonstrate this. This month...
Human vs. Walrus
The majesty of the walrus. It was immortalized in Lewis Carroll's "Through The Looking Glass" and brought back into popular conversation with The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus".
It also bares a striking resemblance to film and television star Wilford Brimley:
Comparisons though, between humans and walruses are in short order.
Perhaps because, at first glance, they appear so dissimilar in appearance: the walrus with flippers and tusks and the human with hands, feet and a small but sturdy collection of incisors and molars; the average weight of adult male walruses being 2,700 lbs while the average weight of the American adult male being 191 lbs.
At birth, walrus calves (regardless of gender) are between 100-150 lbs. and usually 4.5 feet in length. This is much more than the average human baby with an average weight of 7 lbs and not much more than a foot or less in length.
Most calves are usually weaned by age 2 (or a little more), which allows them to leave fully-equipped to face the world independently. Most human beings are fully weaned by 18-23 years, although there is a growing trend toward human beings who are yet to be fully weaned by age 30 or even 40.
The average lifespan of a walrus (regardless of gender) is approximately 50 years. The average life span for a human is 65 to 75 years.
Developmentally the human and the walrus meet at opposite ends. While the walrus approaches adulthood rather quickly, the human being takes much longer. Yet, the human being lives 15 years longer than the walrus.
Although they come close in some aspects, the human and the walrus are not similar developmentally.
The walrus lives around 50 years. The males reach sexual maturity as early as 7 years, but do not typically mate until fully developed around 15 years of age. They go into a rut in January through April, decreasing their food intake dramatically. The females can begin ovulating as soon as 4–6 years old. The females are polyestrous, coming into heat in late summer and also around February, yet the males are only fertile around February; the potential fertility of this second period of estrous is unknown. Breeding occurs from January to March with peak conception in February. Males aggregate in the water around ice-bound groups of estrous females and engage in competitive vocal displays.
Biological
The walrus and the human share one obvious similarity, they are card-carrying members of the class mammalia. They are also both monophyletic, which means they're evolutionary family tree shows no branches.
Both humans and walruses also have teeth, which develop early in life. Walrus teeth are inconsequential, however, with the exemption of two large tusks. Humans, on the other hand, develop a set of twenty teeth in their inchoate phase and later a full-deck 32 chompers. Walrus tusks are made of ivory, while human teeth are made of four different substances: enamel, dentin, dental pulp and cementum.
Although humans and walruses differ on minute details such as teeth quantity and size, their relative accomplishments in relation to other members of their evolutionary family (for example, chimps, which still haven't got the whole opposable thumb thing down in comparison to other pinnipeds who haven't got the whole "walking" thing down) as well as movement both on land and underwater could qualify the two as biological cousins.
Walruses and humans are group animals. They travel together and their destinations depend upon the seasons. Walruses congregate in densely-packed groups during the winter months, lounging on the southwestern side of St. Lawrence Island off the coast of Alaska. During the summer months they travel northward toward the coasts, forming smaller clumps. Humans often travel during the winter and summer months (especially in America) as these two times usually mean extended vacations from work and/or school. Humans tend to remain indoors during the winter with friends and/or family. During the summer, many humans find beaches appealing and gather on them in droves.
Males, both walruses and humans, are in a constant state of competition for dominance and females. Male walruses will fight ruthlessly using their tusks to bludgeon or even kill other males. Dominance is often acheived among the male walrus population through the length of the tusk. This is most recognized in male human circles as "penis envy" as men with longer penises are considered to be more masculine. Male humans are also known for their competitive spirit, especially regarding females. Although male humans do not possess large tusks, they may use knives, guns, bats, clubs, tire irons or their own fists to fight for the female they desire.
Walruses suffer relatively low rates of naturally mortality from predators such as humans, polar bears, killer whales and other walruses. Walrus-on-walrus deaths are rare and only occur during mating season when competition for females is at its apex. This is in stark contrast to the human world, where it is quite common for one human to kill another human for no reason whatsoever.
There is no school of walrus psychology, yet walrus psychology can be determined from social patterns, behavior and biology to a certain extent. Walruses have a group mentality indicated by their fluid motion during the seasons. Although numbers may fall during the summer months, there are never lone walruses walking the ice packs of the pacific. They are always in groups.
Although humans maintain group mentality to a certain extent, this differs from culture to culture. Eastern cultures usually place more attention upon the group, but Western culture focuses more heavily on the individual. As the specific species of walrus used for this comparison has been the Pacific Walrus (found off the coast of Alaska), the Western viewpoint will be given the most weight as it is the closest geographically. In this case, the walrus and the human both desire to be of a group, but the human does not desire to be known as simply part of a group. Whereas the walrus seems to have absolutely no sense of individuality, the human has a strict sense of individuality and self-preservation (even to the point of going against the group, if need be).
http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/walrus/nhistory.htm
Human vs. Walrus
The majesty of the walrus. It was immortalized in Lewis Carroll's "Through The Looking Glass" and brought back into popular conversation with The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus".
Perhaps because, at first glance, they appear so dissimilar in appearance: the walrus with flippers and tusks and the human with hands, feet and a small but sturdy collection of incisors and molars; the average weight of adult male walruses being 2,700 lbs while the average weight of the American adult male being 191 lbs.
Human males (and some females, as was stated earlier in the ERGO blog) and walruses of both genders both share a proclivity toward facial hair, most especially the moustache.
As the walrus and the human have both found equal ground concerning facial hair, this seems like the perfect place to begin with comparison - with growth and development. We will proceed with our comparison in four separate areas: the already-mentioned developmental area as well as biological classification and make-up, social habits and psychological tendencies. These four areas (biological, developmental, sociological and psychological) are necessary to determine the definition of any species and will determine how close (if at all) the walrus and the human are related.
Developmental
In comparison to walruses, humans are pretty late bloomers. Female walruses reach sexual maturity at around 4-5 years while female humans (on the average) reach sexual maturity between 10-15 years. Yet, many walruses do not reach full reproductive potential until 9-10 years. Male walruses become fertile between 5-7 years, while male humans are much slower reaching sexual maturity usually between 12-15 years.
As the walrus and the human have both found equal ground concerning facial hair, this seems like the perfect place to begin with comparison - with growth and development. We will proceed with our comparison in four separate areas: the already-mentioned developmental area as well as biological classification and make-up, social habits and psychological tendencies. These four areas (biological, developmental, sociological and psychological) are necessary to determine the definition of any species and will determine how close (if at all) the walrus and the human are related.
Developmental
In comparison to walruses, humans are pretty late bloomers. Female walruses reach sexual maturity at around 4-5 years while female humans (on the average) reach sexual maturity between 10-15 years. Yet, many walruses do not reach full reproductive potential until 9-10 years. Male walruses become fertile between 5-7 years, while male humans are much slower reaching sexual maturity usually between 12-15 years.
At birth, walrus calves (regardless of gender) are between 100-150 lbs. and usually 4.5 feet in length. This is much more than the average human baby with an average weight of 7 lbs and not much more than a foot or less in length.Most calves are usually weaned by age 2 (or a little more), which allows them to leave fully-equipped to face the world independently. Most human beings are fully weaned by 18-23 years, although there is a growing trend toward human beings who are yet to be fully weaned by age 30 or even 40.
The average lifespan of a walrus (regardless of gender) is approximately 50 years. The average life span for a human is 65 to 75 years.
Developmentally the human and the walrus meet at opposite ends. While the walrus approaches adulthood rather quickly, the human being takes much longer. Yet, the human being lives 15 years longer than the walrus.
Although they come close in some aspects, the human and the walrus are not similar developmentally.
The walrus lives around 50 years. The males reach sexual maturity as early as 7 years, but do not typically mate until fully developed around 15 years of age. They go into a rut in January through April, decreasing their food intake dramatically. The females can begin ovulating as soon as 4–6 years old. The females are polyestrous, coming into heat in late summer and also around February, yet the males are only fertile around February; the potential fertility of this second period of estrous is unknown. Breeding occurs from January to March with peak conception in February. Males aggregate in the water around ice-bound groups of estrous females and engage in competitive vocal displays.
Biological
The walrus and the human share one obvious similarity, they are card-carrying members of the class mammalia. They are also both monophyletic, which means they're evolutionary family tree shows no branches.
Both humans and walruses also have teeth, which develop early in life. Walrus teeth are inconsequential, however, with the exemption of two large tusks. Humans, on the other hand, develop a set of twenty teeth in their inchoate phase and later a full-deck 32 chompers. Walrus tusks are made of ivory, while human teeth are made of four different substances: enamel, dentin, dental pulp and cementum. Both humans and walruses can walk, although in different manners. Humans are bipeds, while walruses are pinnipeds. Humans walk upright with two legs, while walruses walk on all four fins; yet, walruses are the only pinnipeds (others being seals and sea lions) that can walk, other pinnipeds drag the back feet (or fins, as it were) behind them. Walruses can walk and run as fast as a human being.
Walrus has a prominent thick neck and the ability to turn its rear flippers forward and move on all fours; however, its swimming technique is more like that of true seals, relying less on flippers and more on sinuous whole body movement. Humans have many methods of swimming. More experienced human swimmers are able to complete a more sinuous (or serpentine) form of swimming. This requires greater strength and endurance, but can be done.
Walrus has a prominent thick neck and the ability to turn its rear flippers forward and move on all fours; however, its swimming technique is more like that of true seals, relying less on flippers and more on sinuous whole body movement. Humans have many methods of swimming. More experienced human swimmers are able to complete a more sinuous (or serpentine) form of swimming. This requires greater strength and endurance, but can be done.
Although humans and walruses differ on minute details such as teeth quantity and size, their relative accomplishments in relation to other members of their evolutionary family (for example, chimps, which still haven't got the whole opposable thumb thing down in comparison to other pinnipeds who haven't got the whole "walking" thing down) as well as movement both on land and underwater could qualify the two as biological cousins.
Sociological
Walruses and humans are group animals. They travel together and their destinations depend upon the seasons. Walruses congregate in densely-packed groups during the winter months, lounging on the southwestern side of St. Lawrence Island off the coast of Alaska. During the summer months they travel northward toward the coasts, forming smaller clumps. Humans often travel during the winter and summer months (especially in America) as these two times usually mean extended vacations from work and/or school. Humans tend to remain indoors during the winter with friends and/or family. During the summer, many humans find beaches appealing and gather on them in droves.Males, both walruses and humans, are in a constant state of competition for dominance and females. Male walruses will fight ruthlessly using their tusks to bludgeon or even kill other males. Dominance is often acheived among the male walrus population through the length of the tusk. This is most recognized in male human circles as "penis envy" as men with longer penises are considered to be more masculine. Male humans are also known for their competitive spirit, especially regarding females. Although male humans do not possess large tusks, they may use knives, guns, bats, clubs, tire irons or their own fists to fight for the female they desire.
Mother walruses and humans are both exceedingly protective of their young, especially in the early stages of life. The "motherly instinct" is universal for both as indicated by mothers from both species maintaining a sensitivity to their environment with birth of a new born to ensure protection from predators.
Walruses suffer relatively low rates of naturally mortality from predators such as humans, polar bears, killer whales and other walruses. Walrus-on-walrus deaths are rare and only occur during mating season when competition for females is at its apex. This is in stark contrast to the human world, where it is quite common for one human to kill another human for no reason whatsoever.
Sociologically, humans and walruses both share a desire to be in groups, the competitive nature of men and dominance via "size" and the motherly instinct of protection of the young. The only spot at which they differ is the relative high number of human deaths incurred by members of their own species. Otherwise, humans and walruses are quite similar sociologically.
Pscyhological
There is no school of walrus psychology, yet walrus psychology can be determined from social patterns, behavior and biology to a certain extent. Walruses have a group mentality indicated by their fluid motion during the seasons. Although numbers may fall during the summer months, there are never lone walruses walking the ice packs of the pacific. They are always in groups. Calves are well-taken care of by mother walruses, indicating that there is a instinctual desire to ensure the continuation of the species. This is further supported by the male desire to reproduce. The competitive nature of males indicates reproduction is of the utmost importance just behind basic survival needs such as food consumption.
Although humans maintain group mentality to a certain extent, this differs from culture to culture. Eastern cultures usually place more attention upon the group, but Western culture focuses more heavily on the individual. As the specific species of walrus used for this comparison has been the Pacific Walrus (found off the coast of Alaska), the Western viewpoint will be given the most weight as it is the closest geographically. In this case, the walrus and the human both desire to be of a group, but the human does not desire to be known as simply part of a group. Whereas the walrus seems to have absolutely no sense of individuality, the human has a strict sense of individuality and self-preservation (even to the point of going against the group, if need be).
In this sense, humans and walruses are quite different psychologically with humans much more independent of the group than walruses could ever be.
Conclusion
Humans and walruses share similar sociological behaviors and biological characteristics; however, they differ wildly developmentally and psychologically. Although they belong to the same biological family of mammals and desire to be in groups of their own species, they differ at the more intricate levels of the psychological and developmental.To learn more about walruses, check out the links below:
http://library.thinkquest.org/3500/walrus.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/3500/walrus.html
http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/walrus/nhistory.htm
