Residents saw a few hundred walrus hauled out at the beginning of April. By the end of April, they reported seeing about a thousand. On a recent flight over the shoreline, an ADF&G biologist saw only 100.
The walrus count at this location was approximately 500-1000, and looks like they are here to stay well at least for this season of time before they return to the north.
The herds are increasingly moving around in Bristol Bay, perhaps seeking new feeding grounds, a biologist said.
Walrus in Bristol Bay and Port Heiden are not uncommon in summer. The fact they are present in April is unusual and residents believe factors such as the lack of sea ice, lack of food and warming ocean temperatures may be the reason.
Without ice to provide protection from storm waves, Port Heiden has lost the old town road.
It's about the size of a dinner plate and has a rubbery texture, was told it’s a sea cucumber but I’m not sure.
Port Heiden’s road to its harbor and old village site is crumbling into the sea and the lake on the other side of it will likely breach soon. “The road is basically gone. [Erosion]’s cut right half into the road,” said Scott Anderson, the Native Village of Port Heiden’s Tribal Environmental Director.
Red coral observed near Port Heiden along the Bering Sea coast.
Within the last year, they have measured twenty to one hundred feet of erosion along different sections of their coast line.
Goldfish Lake near Port Heiden is on the verge of draining into the Bering Sea.
Sea otter population growth not seen in recent history and shellfish harvest have been dropping.
Pacific Walrus haulout at Cape Greig.
Residents associated poor well water quality with earthquakes.
Without sea ice, our beaches are eroding.
Unknown bird sighted on the Alaskan Peninsula.
Earthquakes have rattled through Port Heiden more often than usual this year. Michael West is the State Seismologist with the Alaska Earthquake Center. He took a look to compare this year’s quake numbers with other years. Listen Now
Dead whale with interesting dolphin-like face.
Large shearwater die-off at a Pilot Point beach.
Dove in Cottonwood Tree
The notoriously difficult-to-study Pacific walrus population decreased by about half between 1981 and 1999, likely due to hunting and changes to sea-ice habitat, according to a new USGS study that is considered the most up-to-date and comprehensive so far. The Pacific walrus is being considered for Endangered Species Act protections.
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