Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Thursday 5 OcTOber 2017

Federal government: No threatened species listing for walrus

By DAN JOLING The agency in 2011, using
Associated Press aerial surveys, estimated
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) the walrus population at
— The Trump administra- 129,000. More accurate
tion announced Wednes- mark-and-recapture stud-
day it will not list the Pacific ies put the population at
walrus as a threatened closer to 280,000, Lemons
species based on dimin- said.
ished Arctic Ocean sea Managers six years ago ex-
ice, concluding that the pressed concern that wal-
marine mammals have rus hunting could have an
adapted to the loss by for- effect on the population.
aging from coastlines. However, a lack of access
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- to walrus due to poor ice
vice officials said they can- conditions have lowered
not determine with certain- the harvest by Alaska Na-
ty that walruses are likely to tive hunters by one-third to
become endangered “in one-half, Lemons said.
the foreseeable future,” An upcoming study of the
which the agency defines effect on walruses having
as the year 2060. to swim hundreds of extra
The decision likely will be miles to find food contains
challenged in court, said too much uncertainty in its
Shaye Wolf, climate sci- models to predict how the
ence director for the Cen- In this April 18, 2004, file photo provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific walrus cows population will be affect-
ter for Biological Diver- and yearlings rest on ice in Alaska. Associated Press ed, Lemons said.
sity, who wrote the listing Wolf disputes that.“That’s
petition filed in 2008. She pecially of young animals, than previously thought,” ons said, protections put a huge energy stress,” she
called the decision a mis- and long swims for nursing Lemons said. Their ability in place in Alaska and Rus- said.Sea ice loss is pro-
representation of science females and other walrus- to rest on shorelines before sia have greatly reduced jected to get worse, Wolf
to reach a predetermined es to find food. swimming to foraging ar- trampling deaths.“Right said, forcing walruses to
conclusion. “They’re not adapting, eas makes the threat of before the 2011 finding, shore more frequently and
“They did not want to list. they’re suffering,” Wolf less sea ice uncertain, he there had been reports in greater numbers. A list-
This is an anti-science, anti- said. added.Older male wal- from Russia that three to ing would add resources
wildlife administration that The Fish and Wildlife Service ruses spend summers in the ten thousand animals had to walrus protection and
denies the reality of climate said in 2011 that walruses Bering Sea. Females with been trampled and died raise public awareness of
change, which is the pri- deserve the additional pro- calves ride sea ice north as on land-based haulouts in the climate change threat
mary threat to the walrus,” tection of being declared it melts in spring and sum- Russia,” he said. Since then, and the need to reduce
Wolf said. “Admitting that threatened, but delayed a mer all the way through the the numbers of trampled greenhouse gas emissions,
the walrus is threatened listing because other spe- Bering Strait into the Chuk- animals have been in the Wolf said.
by climate change ac- cies were a higher priority. chi Sea. The ice provides tens to low hundreds, in- Alaska’s Republican con-
knowledges that climate The agency revised the a moving platform, giving cluding about 100 this year gressional delegation
change poses a real dan- decision based on new walruses a place to rest at Point Lay in northwest hailed the decision.
ger to people and wildlife, information, said Patrick and nurse, and protection Alaska, he said. “I welcome this action by
and they don’t want to do Lemons, the agency’s ma- from predators. Walruses also have shown the USFWS, a decision that
that.” rine mammals manage- In the last decade, howev- a willingness to swim great recognizes the health and
Walruses in the last decade ment chief in Alaska. er, ice in the Arctic Ocean distances of 130 miles (210 stability of Alaska’s walrus
have been forced ashore “Walrus demonstrated has melted far beyond kilometers) or more from population and ignores the
in unprecedented num- much more ability to the shallow continental coastal haulouts to prime extreme political pressures
bers, resulting in deaths, es- change their behaviors shelf over water too deep foraging areas, he said. often associated with new
for walruses to reach the The Fish and Wildlife Ser- Endangered Species Act
ocean floor. Walruses in- vice used climate models listings,” Rep. Don Young
stead have gathered by showing the Chukchi Sea said.
the thousands on beaches between northwest Alaska Besides Pacific walrus, the
in northwestern Alaska and and Russia could be ice- Fish and Wildlife Service
Russia, where smaller ani- free in the summer by 2060, found that 24 other species
mals are vulnerable to be- Lemons said. But he said did not warrant protections
ing trampled in stampedes information predicting the under the Endangered
Tour to the Red Light Lipstixaruba@outlook.com if the herd is spooked by a walruses’ fate is uncertain Species Act, including the
District with a Private polar bear, hunter or air- beyond then, so the deci- Northern Rocky Moun-
Guide & a FREE bottle (297) 630-5329 plane. sion was made not to list tains fisher and the boreal
of wine... In the last six years, Lem- the species. toad.q