Thousands of walruses haul ashore in Arctic Alaska

[marmar]

from the LA Times:





U.S. scientists have unveiled new video documentation of what they say is another stunning effect of the world's steadily warming oceans: the unusual haul-out of up to 20,000 walruses off the coast of Alaska.

The video compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey's Alaska Science Center, together with data collected from radio collars affixed to some of the animals, could help scientists learn more about the problems posed by shrinking sea ice for the creatures that call the distant Arctic home. The ice has been documented this year as among the lowest in recorded history.

Walruses normally spend summers far offshore in the Chukchi Sea, foraging for food on the relatively shallow continental shelf and resting on floating ice. But much of the ice isn't there this year. So the animals are forced either to dive unusually deep off the continental shelf looking for food or to choose -- as many apparently have -- to lumber ashore and try to find food there.

This is the fourth recent year that the barren coast near Point Lay, Alaska, has hosted the massive walrus gathering. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/09/walrus-haulout-arctic-alaska-chukchi.html

[izquierdista]

1. They collar walruses??

Wonder what neck size THAT is!

[absyntheminded]

3. Ummm

Chris Christie's old belts? :rofl:

[lonestarnot]

2. Poor things.

[xchrom]

4. sad. nt