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Thousands of walruses since late summer have congregated in areas on Alaska's northwest shore, a phenomenon likely connected to record low Arctic sea ice and warming temperatures.
Joel Garlich-Miller, a walrus expert with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in Anchorage, said animals began showing up on shore in late July, a month earlier than usual. By August, several thousand animals — far more than normal — were bunched up in a few areas from Barrow, America's northernmost community, to Cape Lisburne, about 300 miles to the southwest on the Chukchi Sea.
Walruses seek shore given lack of ice - - MSNBC.com
Seeded on Fri Oct 5, 2007 5:15 PM EDT
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The Alaska haulouts are following a trend of animals on the other side of the Chukchi Sea, said Jay and Garlich-Miller. Russian research observers have seen dramatic increases of animals on shore, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands and now including females with young.
#1 - Fri Oct 5, 2007 5:29 PM EDTCBob: thanks for making us aware of this article and for raising the alarm. I think people do care, but the scope of the problem is so immense and, in the US, we're aware that any major initiatives on climate change response are verboten until the next administration. (Barring an impeachment or two.) But it is frightening to read about the disappearing polar ice and endangered bears, and, here in Virginia, to see dead bees on the ground every few days. It has not rained in weeks; I am beginning to worry about our 40+ year old oak tree out front.
Maybe our catchword for 2008 will be "feedback loop" as we're apparently about to see many.
We've entered a world of brain-destroying amoeba lurking in warmer lake water and extreme droughts and flooding.
You are right, though, we are much like fiddle-listening Romans as we chat about Larry Craig and the primary horserace and the celebrity-infotainment world while neglecting our natural one.
- 1 vote
#3 - Sat Oct 6, 2007 8:47 AM EDTCBob....
I just got back from vacation. I read your stuff everyday and vote all the time.
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