Walruses in Svalbard, Norway Sep 30, 2024

Walruses in Svalbard, Norway

What"s the perfect thing to do under the midnight sun? If you"re a walrus, the answer might be taking a quick dip with your crew, chowing down on clams and mussels, and then sunbathing on a beach or ice floe. Welcome to Svalbard, an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean halfway between Norway and the North Pole. Our homepage stars were photographed in the waters off Spitsbergen, the largest of the archipelago"s nine islands, where male and female herds are found year-round. Male walruses can reach almost 12 feet long and weigh more than 2,600 pounds. During mating season, they use this girth to fight among themselves for dominance over groups of females, called harems.

© AWL Images/Danita Delimont

palette

Today in History

Sep 30, 2018Aw shucks, it’s oyster season in Galway
Sep 30, 2019Wheels up in Beijing
Sep 30, 2020All eyes on moths
Sep 30, 2021Global commerce in motion
Sep 30, 2022Southern right whale
Sep 30, 2023Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Sep 30, 2025Koala in the Great Otway National Park, Australia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 19, 2020Freeze frame
May 2, 2023Jöriseen lakes in the Silvretta Alps, Switzerland
Nov 7, 2025Polar Bear Week
May 24, 2025European Day of Parks
Feb 13, 2021Four little birds sitting in a tree…
Jul 28, 2021A goldie gala
Jul 5, 2020There once was a lighthouse from...
Jul 27, 2022Mada in Saleh, Saudi Arabia
Dec 6, 2023Computer Science Education Week
Jun 14, 2020Celebrating Flag Day
Nov 8, 2023Manatee Awareness Month
Apr 1, 2025National Frog Month
Feb 19, 2024Presidents Day
Nov 19, 2018A narrow passage
Sep 3, 2022Skyscraper Day
Feb 22, 2023Black History Month
Jul 31, 2025Ring-tailed lemur
Mar 4, 2024Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
May 17, 2018Celebrating Norwegian Constitution Day
Jan 1, 2024Happy New Year!
Jun 12, 2018Celebrating Helsinki’s birthday at the Kiasma Museum
May 31, 2020Welcome to the pack
Sep 12, 2020A city, a cliff, a canyon…and cheese
Mar 29, 2023Manatee Appreciation Day
Nov 3, 2024International Day for Biosphere Reserves
Aug 24, 2024Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument anniversary
Oct 8, 2020An underwater rainbow
Mar 3, 2019Fin whales: A success story
Dec 30, 2020Winter in the Wild West
Aug 2, 2022Happy birthday, Capitol Reef National Park