ANCHORAGE, Alaska—
A Pacific walrus calf has been taken in by the Alaska SeaLife Center after apparently becoming separated from its herd earlier this month near Barrow.Center staff say the male calf, estimated to be four to six weeks old, was spotted by fishermen Saturday in North Salt Lagoon, after a large group of walrus passed Barrow on floating ice July 17. The calf was rescued by members of the North Slope Borough’s Department of Wildlife Management after observation and approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, then placed under the care of a veterinarian.
SeaLife Center staff visited Barrow Sunday to assess the 200-pound calf’s condition. It was flown to Anchorage by Northern Air Cargo, which then helped transfer the calf to a truck for the trip to Seward.
While the calf has been consuming 1,400 calories every three hours around the clock, seeking attention from humans and vocalizing when left alone, the center says it won’t be released into the wild because walrus calves rapidly acclimate to human care.
“Walrus are incredibly tactile, social animals,” said stranding coordinator Tim Lebling. “Walrus calves typically spend about two years with their mothers, so we have to step in to provide that substitute care and companionship.”
Center president Tara Riemer Jones said the facility doesn’t receive government funding for walrus care, crediting donations from Shell Exploration and Production, ConocoPhillips and BP Alaska with allowing its rescue programs to continue.
The center responded to four stranded walrus calves from 2003 to 2007, but this month’s calf is the first admitted to the center for care in the last five years.
