The State of Circumpolar Walrus Populations

Recommendations

Info

15 numbers were highly variable, ranging from 15 to 1,300 (Semyonova et al. 2015). The first reports in recent decades of terrestrial haulouts in northern Novaya Zemlya were from the early 2000s, when about 200 walruses were seen on Gemskerk Island (Marine Arctic Complex Expedition of Moscow Heritage Institute, unpublished report). Since then visual counts from land, vessels and fixed-winged aircraft in 2012 -2015 (National Park Russian Arctic, unpublished reports and archive data; M. Gavilo, pers. comm.) and satellite images and aerial observations from fixed-winged aircraft in 2012-2013 (WWF and Marine Mammal Council) have confirmed the existence and regular use of three major haulouts in northern Novaya Zemlya on the Oranskie Islands, Gemskerk Island, and at Russkaya Gavan (Chernook et al. 2014, Semyonova et al. 2015; M. Gavrilo, pers. comm.). Maximum counts on the Oranskie Islands have ranged from 160 to 800 animals, and peaked in August 2012 and 2013. In June 2013 several hundred animals were observed hauled out on broken fast ice in Russkaya Gavan (Russian Harbour). About 185 animals were seen from the air on Gemskerk Island in mid-August 2013, but none were present in late September 2014. Systematic surveys have not been conducted for walruses in the Kara Sea, but over the past decade more terrestrial haulouts and larger herds have been reported (M. Gavrilo, pers. comm.). In addition to those on Novaya Zemlya, several haulouts have been located in the southwest Kara Sea on northern and western Yamal (Sharapovy Koshki, Belyi Island) (Semyonova and Boltunov 2015). Haulouts have also been found at the northern edge of the Kara Sea. During vessel-based and aerial surveys in August 2007 and 2008 single walruses were seen on fast-ice of the shallow waters adjacent to Schmidt Island (north-easternmost Kara Sea), and in the coastal waters of Ushakov and Golomyanny islands (west of Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago). About 110 walruses, predominately males, were hauled out on the northern coast of Ushakova Island, and 120 on Vize Island (Gavrilo 2010). Since then Vize Island has been used regularly by several dozen to 120 animals (M. Gavrilo, pers.comm.). The discovery of haulouts on Vize and Ushakov islands fills the gap in distribution of Atlantic walruses between Franz Josef Land and the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, where only single animals have been recorded (Gavrilo 2010). There are no historical reports of rookeries northeast of Franz Josef Land at the northern edge of the Kara Sea (Chapsky 1936). Whether the walruses in this area now indicate a range expansion related to climate change or population recovery is unknown. Further study of the spatial and genetic structure of this population is needed in relation to other walruses (e.g., Laptev) in the Russian Arctic. Trends in the abundance and health of walruses in the Kara Sea - Southern Barents Sea – Novaya Zemlya population are unknown and require the systematic long-term collection and analysis of
16 comparable data for proper assessment (Semyonova et al. 2015). Further data are needed on abundance to establish trends, on the distribution of walruses during the spring breeding season, seasonal movements, genetics, contaminant levels, and interactions with shipping. PACIFIC WALRUS POPULATION STATUS Recent genetic studies support the existence of two populations of Pacific Walrus populations, one in the Laptev Sea area and the other in the Bering and Chukchi seas (Lindqvist et al. 2009). Today there is a distributional gap of 500 to 600 km between these populations but they may have formed a continuum (Lindqvist et al. 2009) before their numbers were greatly reduced by heavy exploitation in the Laptev Sea (Belikov and Boltunov 2005) and in the Bering and Chukchi seas (Bockstoce and Botkin 1982; Fay et al. 1989). Status ranks assigned to the different populations by the responsible jurisdictions are summarized in Table 3. Laptev Sea (LVS) Population Walruses that occupy the Laptev Sea, eastern part of the Kara Sea, and western regions of the East Siberian Sea were considered a third subspecies of the Walrus (e.g., Vishnevskaya and Bychkov 1990) but recent morphological and genetic studies support their recognition as the westernmost population of the Pacific Walrus (Lindqvist et al. 2009, 2016). Little information is available on walruses in the Laptev Sea (Fedoseev 1984). The southern and central areas of the Laptev Sea tend to be
Page 1 and 2: REPORT © Mikhail Cherkasov / WWF-R
Page 3 and 4: 2 ABSTRACT The walrus (Odobenus ros
Page 5 and 6: 4 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The WWF Arctic
Page 7 and 8: 6 beginning ca. 50,000 yBP that lim
Page 9 and 10: 8 Walruses from the Foxe Basin stoc
Page 11 and 12: 10 al. 2003). These differences coi
Page 13 and 14: 12 under favourable environmental c
Page 15: 14 appeared to be male. Crude measu
Page 19 and 20: 18 (Fay 1982). The walruses that ar
Page 21 and 22: 20 A joint U.S.-Russia survey, with
Page 23 and 24: 22 for the conservation of walruses
Page 25 and 26: 24 provisions for walrus protection
Page 27 and 28: 26 northwestern and northeastern Gr
Page 29 and 30: 28 Franz Josef Land was discovered
Page 31 and 32: 30 USFWS 2014). The population is c
Page 33 and 34: 32 they return from hunting trips (
Page 35 and 36: 34 The USFWS has also developed gui
Page 37 and 38: 36 how many walruses are represente
Page 39 and 40: 38 (www.iucn.org/about/). The IUCN
Page 41 and 42: 40 Atlantic Walruses In Canada, the
Page 43 and 44: 42 Pacific walruses The primary sou
Page 45 and 46: 44 Foxe Basin (BIMC 2012). It has b
Page 47 and 48: 46 define shipping channels, season
Page 49 and 50: 48 Alaska may be a successful manag
Page 51 and 52: 50 of the population (Born et al. 1
Page 53 and 54: 52 In the Bering and Chukchi seas,
Page 55 and 56: 54 Garlich-Miller et al. (2011) ass
Page 57 and 58: 56 Hamilton et al. (2014) assessed
Page 59 and 60: 58 Canadian High Arctic - Northwest
Page 61 and 62: 60 2014a, b; Lindqvist et al. 2016)
Page 63 and 64: 62 reproduction and survival rates,
Page 65 and 66: 64 Jurisdictions with walrus popula
Page 67 and 68:
66 REFERENCES Allen, J.A. 1880. His
Page 69 and 70:
68 Boertmann, D., A. Mosbech, D. Sc
Page 71 and 72:
70 Chernook, V.I., C. Lydersen, D,M
Page 73 and 74:
72 Durner, G.M., D.C. Douglas, R.M.
Page 75 and 76:
74 Galicia, M.P., G.W. Thiemann, M.
Page 77 and 78:
76 Environmental Ltd., Edmonton AB
Page 79 and 80:
78 Collection of scientific papers
Page 81 and 82:
80 University of Guelph, Ontario, C
Page 83 and 84:
82 Noren S.R., M.S. Udevitz, and C.
Page 85 and 86:
84 Phillipa, J.D.W., F.A. Leighton,
Page 87 and 88:
86 Shitova M., M. Babushkin, A. Bol
Page 89 and 90:
88 Swenson, J.E., A. Bjørge, K. Ko
Page 91 and 92:
90 Witting, L. and E. Born. 2014. P
Page 93 and 94:
92 Figure 2. Atlantic walruses in F
Page 95 and 96:
Figure 4. Map of Atlantic walrus po
Page 97 and 98:
TABLES Table 1. Assessment of Atlan
Page 99 and 100:
98 Population 1 Stock or area 2 Sto
Page 101 and 102:
100 Table 2. Assessment of Pacific
Page 103 and 104:
102 Table 3. Conservation status of
Page 105 and 106:
104 Table 4. Summary of primary wal
Page 107 and 108:
106 Country Subspecies Hunt managem
Page 109 and 110:
Page 111 and 112:
Page 113 and 114:
112 Subspecies Population 1 Knowled
Page 115:
114 Subspecies Population 1 Knowled
show all

The State of Circumpolar Walrus Populations

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?