Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) Haul-out On Port Heiden Beach

Jaclyn Christensen writes,

Walrus in Bristol Bay and Port Heiden is not a significant observation because it’s common for them to summer in our area but the fact they are here already is due to many factors, such as, the lack of sea ice, lack of food and warming ocean temperatures. The walrus earlier that week were sighted by local beachcombers at Strogonof Point, and earlier that day up the beach past Reindeer Creek near First Cape a smaller group of 10 were seen on the beach and also in the water feeding like the hundred photographed here resting. We smelled them before we saw them during our ATV ride. We listened to them and took photos. They are noisy and are a sight to see. We hope they can move to better feeding grounds because our clam beds can barely sustain the local diet. Thanks to the Sea Otter populations in our area these shared resources are in high demand and low yield. We also hope their presence if they stay is protected. We understand from last years Cape Gregg haul out how important their distance and disturbance is managed. Walrus sightings in the past were observed by beachgoers on ATV and one was sighted swimming near a salmon fish subsistence net, and on route to the commercial fishing grounds in Pilot Point (according to PTH TEK interview information)

Erica Mitchell writes,

In a previous LEO post, Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) Haulout at Cape Greig, the ADFG Division of Wildlife Lands and Refuge Manager Ed Weiss wrote that, "As with other haulouts in Bristol Bay these walrus come and go on a daily basis to feeding areas within Bristol Bay"..."These male walrus move into Bristol Bay from the Bering Sea in late spring, after the mating season, as the rest of the population moves north following the sea ice edge into northern Alaska, Russia, and the Arctic Ocean.In recent history (1960 forward) there have been five primary haulouts that have been used: Round Island within the Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary, Cape Peirce, Cape Newenham and Hagemeister Island within the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, and Cape Seniavin on the Alaska Peninsula south of Port Heiden. And now at Cape Greig.

Speaking with Port Heiden Council President John Christensen Jr. this past week, I learned that this haulout appeared to be predominantly male. According to the Pacific walrus coastal haulout database, 1852-2016— Background report, male Pacific walrus commonly haul out along the coast during the summers, while females and pups will haulout during ice-free periods. The report also notes that the seasonal periods when sea ice is absent have varied greatly, as Jaclyn Christensen points out, and will likely continue to change in the future. Changes in ice coverage have shifted the timing and location of coastal haulouts. The Pacific Walrus Coastal Haulout Database documents seven haulouts of predominantly male walrus along the Alaska Peninsula (between Naknek River and Cape Sarichef) between 1852 and 2016. Source: Fischbach, A.S., Kochnev, A.A., Garlich-Miller, J.L., and Jay, C.V., 2016, Pacific walrus coastal haulout database, 1852–2016—Background report: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2016–1108, 27 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161108.

Resources:

More information about Pacific walrus characteristics, habitat, and migration can be found at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Pacific Walrus Species Profile.

Audio file:

Species Profile: Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)
Source of audio, Alaska Department of Fish and Game