632 Distribution, Abundance, and Ecology of Pacific Walruses in the Bering Sea

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Russian scientists from GiproRybFlot and ChukotTINRO, carried out a range-wide survey of the Pacific walrus in March and April of 2006, with the primary goal of estimating the size of the population. The survey was unique in that it utilized thermal scanners to enumerate walruses over large geographic areas, and remotely-deployed satellite tags to measure the haul-out behavior of free-ranging walruses. In addition, the survey supported collection of benthic samples for a University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) study in an important walrus foraging area.

This project will examine aspects of Pacific walrus population biology and ecology using data resulting from this complex and highly collaborative field study. The first study component involves collaboration with Russian scientists to integrate survey data collected in U.S. and Russian territories, standardize data analysis, and derive a population estimate of the Pacific walrus. The second study component will examine relationships between walrus haul-out and movement behaviors and their sea ice environment. The third study component will determine whether benthic walrus prey composition, abundance, and biomass within an area of the St. Lawrence Polynya have significantly changed in the past 20+ years.