Stampede suspected in dozens of walrus deaths

[Still Waters]

Thousands of Pacific walrus are coming to Alaska's northwest shore again in the absence of summer sea ice and not all are surviving.

A survey Monday of a mile of coastline near the Inupiaq Eskimo village of Point Lay found 64 dead walruses, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told The Associated Press.

Most of the animals were younger than a year old. The cause of death is not known, said agency spokeswoman Andrea Medeiros, but stampedes—set off when startled walruses rush to the sea, crushing smaller animals—are a likely suspect.

https://phys.org/news/2017-09-stampede-dozens-walrus-death.html

[DebDandelion]

That is just sad