Young walrus rescued in Utqiagvik admitted to Alaska SeaLife Center

ASLC Animal Care Specialist Maddie Welch (left) and ASLC Veterinary Technician Jessica Davis (right) feeds nan orphaned female Pacific walrus calf diligent that arrived from Utqiagvik connected July 22, 2024. (Courtesy ASLC)

The Alaska SeaLife Center successful Seward admitted an orphaned Pacific walrus calf past week that was recovered unsocial connected a formation successful Utqiagvik. According to a property merchandise from nan center, nan female calf was apt near connected its ain aft a walrus herd passed done nan area.

The calf weighs astir 165 pounds and is believed to beryllium nary much than a fewer weeks old. She’s 1 of only eleven walruses that person been admitted to nan SeaLife Center since it opened successful 1998.

Center unit opportunity nan walrus was dehydrated and malnourished aft it arrived successful Seward. It besides had insignificant scrapes and lacerations.

Carrie Goertz is nan head of animal wellness astatine nan SeaLife Center. She says nan walrus calf has perked up and has started feeding from a bottle.

“She has improved slightly,” Goertz said. “Big milestone successful position of getting her to caregiver from a bottle, it really makes it truthful overmuch easier to attraction for her. It besides gives america bully feedback successful position of what her appetite is doing.” 

According to nan SeaLife Center, nan attraction regimen for Pacific walruses is much demanding than different marine mammals. They’re highly societal animals that activity comfortableness done beingness interaction pinch their mothers, meaning unit activity astir nan timepiece to enactment arsenic surrogates. In nan wild, walruses are usually nether nan attraction of their mothers for much than 2 years. Because nan calf was separated from its mother earlier learning to past connected its own, Goertz said nan calf will not beryllium released backmost into nan wild.

Under nan SeaLife Center’s care, Goertz says nan young walrus’ bloodwork and eating habits are trending successful nan correct direction.

“She has gained a small weight, which is great,” Goertz said. “Good motion that we’re gathering her needs, and a number of her bloodwork parameters person improved.”

If you find an injured aliases stranded marine animal successful Alaska, you tin telephone nan 24/7 Stranded Marine Animal Hotline by dialing 1-888-774-SEAL. For much accusation astir nan Alaska SeaLife Center, sojourn its website.