Female Pacific walruses and their calves traditionally spend summers far from shore, diving for benthic invertebrates over the shallow continental shelf waters of the Chukchi Sea. These female walruses and their calves prefer to rest between forage bouts on sea ice drifting above their feeding grounds.
North coast of Alaska and offshore seafloor
Detailed Description
North coast of Alaska and offshore seafloor, showing deep Arctic Ocean seafloor (dark blue) and continental shelf (aqua blue). In 2010 and again in 2011, thousands of walruses gathered on beaches north of Point Lay after sea ice had receded from the continental shelf. View high-resolution video of Pacific walruses hauling out near Point Lay in late August 2011.
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.