Abstract
Walruses were on the verge of extinction in Svalbard prior to becoming totally protected in 1952. The present study attempts to determine the number of walruses in Svalbard in summer based on aerial, ground and boat surveys. In 1993, 741 walruses were observed, almost all of which were males. This population, which is shared with the neighbouring Russian archipelago Franz Joseph Land, is believed to consist of an equal number of females. We therefore conclude that the shared population consists of a minimum of about 1450 walruses older than 2 years and an unknown number of calves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymous (1952) Fredning av hvalross. (Protection of walruses). Kongelig Resolusjon (Royal Decree) 20. Juni 1952 (in Norwegian). Available from Fiskeridepartementet, Øvre Slottsgt. 2, P.B. 8118 Dep., 0032 Oslo, Norway
Beloborodov AG, Timoshenko IuK (1974) Protection of the Atlantic walrus (in Russian). Priroda 3:97–99 (Fish Res Board Can Transl 3812,1976)
Born EW (1984) Status of the Atlantic walrus Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus in the Svalbard area. Polar Res 2:27–45
Born EW (1990) Distribution and abundance of Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) in Greenland. In: Fay FH, Kelly BP, Fay BA (eds) The ecology and management of walrus populations. Report of an international workshop, 26–30 March 1990, Seattle, Washington, USA, pp 95–153 (Rep No PB91-100479, available from the Marine Mammal Commission, 1825 Connecticut Avenue NW #512, Washington DC 20009, USA)
Born EW, Gjertz I (1993) A link between walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) in northeast Greenland and Svalbard. Polar Rec 29:329
Born EW, Knutsen LØ (1991) Hvalrosundersøgelser i Nordøstgrønland (Studies of walruses in northeast Greenland) (in Danish and Greenlandic). Tusaat 15:24–35
Chapskii KK (1939) Short historical analysis of contemporary conditions of stock of the walrus in the Barents and Kara Seas (in Russian). Probl Arktiki Antarkt 3:62–69
Collett R (1911–12) Norges hvirveldyr, vol. 1. Norges Pattedyr (Norwegian vertebrates, vol. 1. Norwegian Mammals) (in Norwegian). H. Aschehoug, Kristiania
Fay FH (1981) Walrus, Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus, 1758) In: Ridgway SH, Harrison RJ (eds) Handbook of marine mammals, vol 1. The walrus, sea lions, fur seals and sea otter. Academic Press, London, pp 1–23
Fay FH (1982) Ecology and biology of the Pacific walrus, Odobenus rosmarus divergens Illiger. North Am Fauna 74:1–279
Gilbert J, Fedoseev G, Seagers D, Razlivalov E, Lachugin A (1992) Aerial census of Pacific walrus, 1990. U.S. Fish Wildl Serv Adm Rep R7/MMM 92–1. Available from Mar Mamm Managt US Fish Wildl Serv, Region 7, 1011 East Tudor Rd, Anchorage, AK 99508
Gjertz I, Wiig Ø (1993) Status of walrus research in Svalbard and Franz Josef Land in 1992. A review. In: Stewart REA, Richard PR, Stewart BE (eds) Report of the 2nd Walrus International Technical and Scientific (WITS) Workshop, 11–15 January 1993, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Can Tech Rep Fish Aquat Sci 1940, pp 68–84
Gjertz I, Wiig Ø (1994) Past and present distribution of walruses in Svalbard. Arctic 47:34–42
Gjertz I, Hansson R, Wiig Ø (1992) The historical distribution and catch of walrus in Franz Josef Land. Nor Polarinst Medd 120:67–81
Horn G (1930) Franz Josef Land: natural history, discovery, exploration, and hunting. Skr Svalb og Ishavet 29:1–54
Lamont J (1861) Seasons with the sea-horses; or sporting adventures in the northern seas. Hurst and Blackett, London
Larsen T (1976) Northeast Svalbard Nature Reserve. Naturopa 25:21–23
Lønø O (1972) The catch of walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) in the areas of Svalbard, Novaja Zemlja, and Franz Josef Land. Nor Polarinst Årbok 1970:199–212
Mansfield AW (1958) The biology of the Atlantic walrus Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus (Linnaeus) in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Fish Res Board Can Man Rep Ser (Biol) No. 653
Norderhaug M (1969) Hvalrossens (Odobenus rosmarus) forekomst i Svalbardområdet 1960–1967 (The occurrence of walruses in the Svalbard area 1960–1967) (in Norwegian). Nor Polarinst Årbok 1967:146–150
Poole J (1604–09) Divers Voyages to Cherie Iland, in the yeeres 1604, 1605, 1606, 1608, 1609. Reprinted diary In. Purchas S (1906). Hakluytus posthumus or Purchas his Pilgrimes, vol. 13. James MacLehose, Glasgow, pp 265–293
Reeves RR (1978) Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus): literature survey and status report. US Fish Wildl Serv Res Rep 10
Timoshenko IuK (1984) Concerning the protection and restoration of the western Atlantic population of the walrus. In: Iablokov AV (ed) Marine mammals (in Russian). Nauka, Moscow (Translation Fay FH 1986), pp 100–103
Tsalkin VI (1937) Materials on the biology of the walrus of the Franz Josef Archipelago (in Russian). Biull Mosk O-Vo Isp Prir 46:43–51 (Translation by Fay FH 1983)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gjertz, I., Wiig, Ø. The number of walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) in Svalbard in summer. Polar Biol 15, 527–530 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00237468
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00237468