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Walrus

walrus

Estimated Population: 200,000-250,000

Ways to identify this species: large tusks, square snout, small eyes, covered in short tawny hair

Biology

Migratory; inhabits the Bering pack ice in winter, moving north through the Bering Strait in the spring to spend the summer in the Chukchi Sea/St. Lawrence population. Several thousand walruses, mostly adult males, stay in the Bering region to spend the summer on the coast of Bristol Bay.

Cold water creates restricted blood flow, this causes the walrus’ skin to become pale only regaining its color when they “haulout” or pull themselves from the ocean and rest on land.

Threats

Walruses are preyed upon by killer whales, polar bears and humans. Serious injuries, such as trampling and tusk strikes, occur during breeding season from fights among males.

Beginning in the 18th century, the male walrus was hunted for its tusks, oil and hide, substantially reducing its numbers. By the mid-1950s, the population had fallen to 50,000-100,000. Conservation measures have allowed walrus populations to recover significantly, even as subsistence hunting has continued.

Recent years have seen declining numbers of walruses in near-shore environments. Although subsistence hunting may play a role, a more likely culprit is global warming. The walrus’ close connection to the seasonal distribution of pack ice, which they depend on for resting and giving birth, make them particularly vulnerable as the sea ice retreats. Recent years have seen walrus pups stranded in open water in unprecedented numbers as their mothers are forced to leave them in pursuit of the rapidly retreating ice.

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