Scientists have discovered a new walrus haul-out on a stretch of shoreline in Svalbard – a remote archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, found between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
The enormous marine mammals, which can weigh almost two tonnes, were spotted using satellite imagery as part of Walrus from Space, a conservation project organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
"Since 2021, WWF and BAS have been asking the public to become ‘Walrus Detectives’ and help contribute to conservation science by searching for and counting walruses in thousands of satellite images taken from space," says WWF on its website.
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The walrus is what is known as a keystone species, meaning it plays a pivotal role in supporting the ecosystem it lives in. But today, melting sea ice as a result of climate change is putting increasing pressure on these powerful animals.
Being able to monitor them is therefore more important than ever. And that's exactly what the Walrus from Space project aims to do, delivering a census of Atlantic walrus populations in Canada, Greenland and the Norwegian Arctic using satellite imagery – information which can then be used to explore what might happen to them as the climate changes.
“Walruses are big, powerful animals, but they are also increasingly vulnerable to the implications of the climate crisis, as the sea ice is literally melting out from underneath them,” says Rod Downie, Chief Adviser at Polar & Oceans for WWF.
“This recently found site in Svalbard is exciting and demonstrates that we have so much more to learn about walrus distribution and abundance.
“The Walrus from Space programme helps us better understand walruses, how they are being affected by the climate crisis now and how they might respond in a climate altered future.
“We are doing this to provide evidence to support the conservation of the species across its range.”
Around 40,000 members of the public have taken part in the Walrus from Space project since it started in 2021. To find out how you can get involved, visit the Walrus from Space page on the WWF website.
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Top image: Walrus haul-out. WWF and the BAS
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