E.T., a 30-year-old walrus at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo, is clearly in training to replace Wilford Brimley. He has the looks down, and he’s working on his acting; he can already do eight different types of vocalization on command.

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The sight of a walrus puckering up to whistle is probably the most startling part, but that last sound (the command is “bell”) gets more impressive every time I listen to it. It’s like the Tuvan throat singing of walrus noises.

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