Published By US Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
Issued over 9 years ago
Summary
Description
For the third consecutive year, USFWS conducted a walrus Odobenus rosmarus divergens harvest health and welfare study in six Bering Sea coastal villages. The Eskimo Walrus Commission EWC was a cooperator in the study. Goals were to determine harvest levels, age structure, reproductive history, feeding habits and contaminant loading for various body organs and tissues of harvested walruses. The documented harvest level for the Nome and King Island, Cape Woolley areas was 102 and 615 walruses respectively Specimens collected included 36 pair of lower canine teeth, 23 female reproductive tracts and contents of seven stomachs. Inclement weather precluded active successful hunting in the Nome area during the spring of 1982. The hunting success later at King Island was significantly greater than in 1981. When combined the total harvest of walruses from Nome and King Island was similar to 1981 as was the sex composition of the harvest for the individual locations. Crew, boat and motor sizes remained appreciably unchanged from 1981.