The Nine Stranded Walrus Pups Are Presumed to Have Died...

[leftchick]

Never in my lifetime did I expect to see this happen. It is going to get worse....

Walrus Calves Stranded by Melting Sea Ice


Scientists have reported an unprecedented number of unaccompanied and possibly abandoned walrus calves in the Arctic Ocean, where melting sea ice may be forcing mothers to abandon their pups as the mothers follow the rapidly retreating ice edge north.

Nine lone walrus calves were reported swimming in deep waters far from shore by researchers aboard the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy during a cruise in the Canada Basin in the summer of 2004. Unable to forage for themselves, the calves were likely to drown or starve, the scientists said.

Lone walrus calves far from shore have not been described before, the researchers report in the April issue of Aquatic Mammals. The sightings suggest that increased polar warming may lead to decreases in the walrus population.

“We were on a station for 24 hours, and the calves would be swimming around us crying. We couldn’t rescue them,” said Carin Ashjian, a biologist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and a member of the research team.

<snip>

“If walruses and other ice-associated marine mammals cannot adapt to caring for their young in shallow waters without sea-ice available as a resting platform between dives to the sea floor, a significant population decline of this species could occur,” the research team wrote. The lead author of the study is Lee W. Cooper, a biogeochemist at the University of Tennessee.





A walrus pup alone in the Arctic Ocean, one of nine calves seen swimming far from shore and presumed to have died. (Photo by Carin Ashjian, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)



:cry:

[xultar]

1. Why couldn't they pick them up. I refuse to understand that.

[leftchick]

2. That is what I can't figure out

except that there are going to be hundreds stranded soon. Where can they put them all?

[hatrack]

3. No veterinarians on board, no caging, no facilities, no formula . . .

They weren't expecting this and as a research vessel, were only set up for routine oceanographic work.

This is breaking my heart, and that's just from the pictures - I'm sure it broke theirs being there in person, listening to the pups bawling with hunger, swimming up to the ship that they thought might have been their mother.

[leftchick]

5. I just saw the film footage on CNN International

it is just breaking my heart. Perhaps in the future they can put together rescue missions for these animals now that they know how bad it has gotten. :cry:

[CrispyQ]

4. This is so tragic.

There are days I loathe my speices & long for our demise.

[Beaverhausen]

6. Oh no!!!

:cry:

[Dead_Parrot]

7. Damn.

This is nine that happened to be spotted by a small ship in a big ocean. I hate to think how many hundreds, or thousands, have died without anyone noticing.

[LeftyMom]

8. The loss of sea ice is bad for other pinnipeds, too

Harp Seals will abort thier young at sea if there is no sturdy ice to birth and suckle them on.

Pinnipeds the world over are threatened by human behavior, if not climate change than pollution and boating can pose big risks for them. Other sea mammals from otters on up to whales are also at risk. :(

[dusty64]

9. Oh Christ

and complete w/ pics to further break my heart. Is there EVER any good news anymore, and our regime continues to deny global warming and do everything in their power to hasten our planets demise. Have a mentioned lately, I loathe those bush bastards!