A WWF scientific expedition sets off tomorrow to tackle an enduring mystery in the icy seas off Siberia. The expedition is going to the Laptev Sea to find out if local populations of walrus and polar bear are related to populations to the east or west. The expedition also plans to confirm walrus haulout locations, […]
Tag: Walrus
Endangered or Not, but at Least No Longer Waiting
Perhaps it does not seem cause for celebration that the Oregon spotted frog, a four-inch-long amphibian that prefers the Pacific Northwest’s dwindling marshy spots, is to be considered this year for federal protection as an endangered species. Tell that to the frog. It has been languishing for 22 years — since 1991 — awaiting its […]
Tooth Walker…
A young walrus bull (Odobenus rosmarus) cautiously approaches as I lay on a rocky beach of Nordaustlandet. The scientific name of a walrus, Odobenus, comes from a combination of old Greek words: “odous” or tooth and “bainos” meaning walk. Often, a walrus will use his tusks to pull his large mass along the ice or […]