Walrus Welfare and Arctic Sea Ice Loss

Walruses depend on Arctic sea ice as resting platforms between feeding dives, and sea ice loss is forcing them onto land in massive overcrowded haul-outs where stampede mortality is escalating.

Key Facts

Pacific walrus populations number approximately 200,000 individuals
Walruses use sea ice as resting platforms above their benthic feeding grounds in the Chukchi Sea
As sea ice retreats north away from feeding areas, walruses are forced to haul out on land
Haul-outs of 40,000 or more walruses have been documented on Alaskan and Russian beaches
Stampedes triggered by disturbance cause crushing deaths of calves, sometimes thousands in a single event
Walrus calves cannot complete the long swimming distances from shore to feeding areas

Welfare Considerations

Walrus welfare is being directly harmed by climate change at a scale visible to observers. Mass haul-out events are not natural behaviour for Pacific walruses at this scale — they result from loss of the sea ice platforms on which walruses historically rested. Calves crushed in stampedes, triggered by disturbance from passing aircraft, boats, or predators, experience acute traumatic death. Cows separated from calves in mass haul-out chaos suffer social disruption. Calves unable to reach food face starvation. The welfare emergency is real and worsening. Aircraft and vessel exclusion zones around haul-out sites reduce stampede risk and represent a direct, achievable welfare intervention.

What You Can Do

Support strong climate action policies to protect Arctic sea ice
Advocate for aircraft and vessel exclusion zones around known walrus haul-out sites
Donate to Pacific walrus research and conservation programmes
Raise awareness about walrus haul-out mortality as a direct welfare consequence of climate change
Support Indigenous communities in Alaska who depend on walrus for subsistence and monitor populations