What Does “A Herd of Walruses” Mean?
“Herd” is a fitting, general term for walruses, animals that are genuinely and famously social. Walruses haul out onto ice floes or beaches in large groups, sometimes numbering in the hundreds or even thousands, packing tightly together for warmth, safety in numbers, and social contact, a haul-out behavior that’s one of their most recognizable traits.
These herds typically separate somewhat by sex and age outside the breeding season, with mothers and calves forming their own tighter clusters within the larger group. Walruses also communicate constantly within a herd using a range of vocalizations, from bell-like clangs to whistles and grunts, helping maintain contact in what can be an extremely crowded, physically packed group of enormous, tusked animals.
Example: “A herd of walruses covered the entire ice floe, packed so tightly that latecomers had to climb over one another to find space.”
Other Collective Nouns for Walruses
A group of walruses goes by more than one name. You might also hear:
Related: Collective Nouns for Mammals · What Is a Group of Walruses Called?