Nature & Environment

35,000 walruses gather on Alaskan beach

By T.K. Randall
October 1, 2014 ·  22 comments

Walruses as far as the eye can see. Image Credit: Corey Arrardo / NOAA The amazing spectacle was captured on camera by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) biologists who were flying five miles north of Point Lay as part of their annual Arctic marine mammal aerial survey.

Such huge congregations are becoming increasingly common due to global warming which is causing large swathes of sea ice to melt far further north than would otherwise normally occur.Unable to swim indefinitely, the walruses usually rely on this sea ice to rest, but with so much of it gone they are now being forced to head to the shoreline in huge numbers.

"The walruses are telling us what the polar bears have told us and what many indigenous people have told us in the high Arctic," said Margaret Williams of the World Wildlife Fund.

"The Arctic environment is changing extremely rapidly and it is time for the rest of the world to take notice and also to take action to address the root causes of climate change."

Source: Independent | Comments (22)

Tags: Walrus, Alaska