Walrus Crowding Alaska’s Northwest Beaches

Annie Feidt, APRN – Anchorage

Tens of thousands of walrus are crowding onto a sandy stretch of beach on Alaska’s northwest coast. The animals were forced to swim to shore after the sea ice they live on disappeared from the Chukchi Sea. It’s a phenomenon that was unheard of five years ago. And scientists are trying to get a handle on what the dramatic change in behavior could mean for the species long term.

Photo courtesy of USGS

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(MP3)