Walruses occupy a nearly circumpolar region of the Arctic.
Some taxonomists do not recognize the Laptev Sea population as a separate subspecies. The most obvious physical characteristic of the walrus is the presence of large tusks in both the male and female. Accompanying the tusks are stiff beard bristles, called vibrissae, and although individual variation in length is great, the bristles can grow up to 30 cm long. The bristles are replaced yearly. In natural environments these bristles are often quite worn.