Arctic Wildlife

Pacific Walrus Welfare and Climate-Driven Haul-Out Trampling

Pacific walruses depend on sea ice for resting between foraging dives. As ice retreats, walruses haul out on beaches in massive aggregations of up to 35,000 animals, where stampedes triggered by disturbance cause crushing deaths of calves.

Key Facts

Pacific walruses depend on sea ice as a platform for resting between feeding dives
Round Island in Alaska hosts the largest land-based haul-out site in the US, with up to 14,000 walruses
Stampedes triggered by aircraft, polar bears, or boats have killed hundreds of calves in single events
In 2007, 3,000-4,000 walruses died in a stampede on Siberian beaches
Sea ice extent in the Chukchi Sea has decreased dramatically since the 1970s

Welfare Considerations

Walrus calves that cannot keep pace with stampeding adults are crushed by the weight of fleeing animals. Calves separated from mothers during stampedes may be unable to reunite, leading to starvation and cold exposure. The extreme stress of massive haul-outs without the buffering of sea ice creates chronic stress in a species not adapted to land-based resting. The welfare harm is driven entirely by climate change reducing sea ice availability.

What You Can Do

Support climate action as the primary welfare intervention for Pacific walruses
Donate to World Wildlife Fund Arctic programs protecting walrus habitat
Advocate for aircraft flight restrictions around walrus haul-out sites
Support USGS Pacific walrus research and population monitoring
Engage with US Fish and Wildlife Service walrus management plan consultations