Summary

Description

Little Diomede was one of five western Alaska villages for the fourth consecutive year where the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a Pacific walrus Odobenus rosmarus divergens harvest, health, and welfare study. A documented harvest of 166 walruses, during the spring study period, was a marked decrease from spring harvests over the three previous years. Analysis of annuli cementum deposits on lower canine teeth from 45 females and 74 males indicated a mean age of 11.3 ana 19.7 years respectively. Samples of liver, kidney, and blubber collected from 22 walrus currently await laboratory testing for contaminant levels. A mean blubber thickness of 45.7mm was determined from measurements taken over the sternum of 65 walrus. The documented harvest of other marine mammals was one beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas, 18 bearded Erignathus barbatus, 9 spotted Phoca largha, and 31 ringed seals Pusa hispida.