Editing Walrus (section)

===Range and habitat===
The majority of the population of the Pacific walrus spends its summers north of the [[Bering Strait]] in the [[Chukchi Sea]] of the Arctic Ocean along the northern coast of eastern [[Siberia]], around [[Wrangel Island]], in the [[Beaufort Sea]] along the northern shore of [[Alaska]] south to [[Unimak Island]],<ref name="Izembek National Wildlife Report Sept 2015">{{cite web|title=Izembek National Wildlife Report Sept 2015|url=http://www.aleutianseast.org/vertical/Sites/%7BEBDABE05-9D39-4ED4-98D4-908383A7714A%7D/uploads/Izembek_National_Wildlife_Refuge_Report_Sept_2015.pdf|publisher=USFWS|access-date=26 March 2017|archive-date=30 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230181745/http://www.aleutianseast.org/vertical/Sites/%7BEBDABE05-9D39-4ED4-98D4-908383A7714A%7D/uploads/Izembek_National_Wildlife_Refuge_Report_Sept_2015.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> and in the waters between those locations. Smaller numbers of males summer in the [[Gulf of Anadyr]] on the southern coast of the Siberian [[Chukchi Peninsula]], and in Bristol Bay off the southern coast of Alaska, west of the [[Alaska Peninsula]]. In the spring and fall, walruses congregate throughout the Bering Strait, reaching from the western coast of Alaska to the Gulf of Anadyr. They winter over in the [[Bering Sea]] along the eastern coast of Siberia south to the northern part of the [[Kamchatka Peninsula]], and along the southern coast of Alaska.<ref name="Fay85"/> A 28,000-year-old fossil walrus was dredged up from the bottom of [[San Francisco Bay]], indicating that Pacific walruses ranged that far south during the [[Wisconsin glaciation|last Ice Age]].<ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Dyke AS |year = 1999|title = The Late Wisconsinan and Holocene record of walrus (''Odobenus rosmarus'') from North America: A review with new data from Arctic and Atlantic Canada|journal = Arctic|volume = 52|issue = 2|pages = 160–181|doi=10.14430/arctic920|doi-access = free}}</ref>
[[File:Herd of Pacific walrus resting.png|thumb|Herd resting on a beach, Alaska.]]
Commercial harvesting reduced the population of the Pacific walrus to between 50,000 and 100,000 in the 1950s–1960s. Limits on commercial hunting allowed the population to increase to a peak in the 1970s-1980s, but subsequently, walrus numbers have again declined. Early aerial censuses of Pacific walrus conducted at five-year intervals between 1975 and 1985 estimated populations of above 220,000 in each of the three surveys.<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Estes JA, Gol'tsev VN |title=Soviet American Cooperative Research on Marine Mammals | volume = 1 ''Pinnipeds'' |date=1984 |publisher=NOAA, Technical Report, NMFS 12 |pages=67–76 |chapter=Abundance and distribution of the Pacific walrus (''Odobenus rosmarus divergens''): results of the first Soviet American joint aerial survey, autumn 1975.}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Estes JA, Gilbert JR |title=Evaluation of an aerial survey of Pacific walruses (''Odobenus rosmarus divergens''). |journal=Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada |volume=35 |issue=8 |pages=1130–1140 |date=1978|doi=10.1139/f78-178 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Gol'tsev VN |title=Aerial surveys of Pacific walruses in the Soviet sector during fall 1975 |date=1976 |publisher=Procedural Report TINRO |location=Magadan}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Johnson A, Burns J, Dusenberry W, Jones R |title=Aerial survey of Pacific walruses, 1980. |date=1982 |publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management |location=Anchorage, Alaska}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Fedoseev GA | veditors = Rodin VE, Perlov AS, Berzin AA, Gavrilov GM, Shevchenko AI, Fadeev NS, Kucheriavenko EB |title=Marine Mammals of the Far East |date=1984 |publisher=TINRO |location=Vladivostok |pages=73–85 |chapter=Present status of the population of walruses (''Odobenus rosmarus'') in the eastern Arctic and Bering Sea}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Gilbert JR |title=Aerial survey of Pacific walruses in the Chukchi Sea, 1985 |date=1986 |publisher=Mimeo Report}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gilbert JR |title=Aerial census of Pacific walruses in the Chukchi Sea, 1985 |journal=Marine Mammal Science |date=1989 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=17–28|doi=10.1111/j.1748-7692.1989.tb00211.x |bibcode=1989MMamS...5...17G }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gilbert JR |title=''Errata'': Correction to the variance of products, estimates of Pacific walrus populations |journal=Marine Mammal Science |date=1989 |volume=5 |pages=411–412|doi=10.1111/j.1748-7692.1989.tb00356.x }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Fedoseev GA, Razlivalov EV |title=The distribution and abundance of walruses in the eastern Arctic and Bering Sea in autumn 1985 |date=1986 |publisher=VNIRO |location=Magadan}}</ref>

In 2006, the population of the Pacific walrus was estimated to be around 129,000 on the basis of an aerial census combined with satellite tracking.<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors= Speckman SG, Chernook VI, Burn DM, Udevitz MS, Kochnev AA, Vasilev A, Jay CV, Lisovsky A, Fischbach AS, Benter RB|display-authors=etal|year=2010|title=Results and evaluation of a survey to estimate Pacific walrus population size, 2006|journal=Marine Mammal Science|volume=27|issue=3|pages=514–553|doi=10.1111/j.1748-7692.2010.00419.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| author = US Fish and Wildlife Service| title = Stock Assessment Report: Pacific Walrus – Alaska Stock| year = 2014| url = https://www.fws.gov/r7/fisheries/mmm/stock/Revised_April_2014_Pacific_Walrus_SAR.pdf| access-date = 16 June 2019| archive-date = 18 February 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200218015145/https://www.fws.gov/r7/fisheries/mmm/stock/Revised_April_2014_Pacific_Walrus_SAR.pdf| url-status = dead}}</ref> There were roughly 200,000 Pacific walruses in 1990.<ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Gilbert JR |year = 1992|title = Aerial census of Pacific walrus, 1990|journal = USFWS R7/MMM Technical Report 92-1}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= US Fish and Wildlife Service|title= Stock Assessment Report: Pacific Walrus – Alaska Stock|year= 2002|url= http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/walrus/pdf/Final_%20Pacific_Walrus_SAR.pdf|access-date= 3 October 2007|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110515171808/http://alaska.fws.gov/fisheries/mmm/walrus/pdf/Final_%20Pacific_Walrus_SAR.pdf|archive-date= 15 May 2011}}</ref>

The much smaller population of Atlantic walruses ranges from the Canadian Arctic, across [[Greenland]], [[Svalbard]], and the western part of Arctic Russia. There are eight hypothetical subpopulations of Atlantic walruses, based largely on their geographical distribution and movements: five west of Greenland and three east of Greenland.<ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Born E, Andersen L, Gjertz I, Wiig Ø |year = 2001|title = A review of the genetic relationships of Atlantic walrus (''Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus'') east and west of Greenland|journal = Polar Biology|volume = 24|pages = 713–718|doi = 10.1007/s003000100277|issue = 10| bibcode=2001PoBio..24..713E |s2cid = 191312}}</ref> The Atlantic walrus once ranged south to [[Sable Island]], off of [[Nova Scotia]]; as late as the 18th century, they could be found in large numbers in the Greater [[Gulf of St. Lawrence]] region, sometimes in colonies of 7-8,000 individuals.<ref>{{cite book | last = Bolster | first = W. Jeffrey | name-list-style = vanc | title = The Mortal Sea: Fishing the Atlantic in the Age of Sail | location = Cambridge | publisher = Harvard University Press | date =  2012 }}</ref> This population was nearly eradicated by commercial harvest; their current numbers, though difficult to estimate, probably remain below 20,000.<ref>{{cite book | author = [NAMMCO] North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission. | date = 1995 | title = Report of the third meeting of the Scientific Committee. | series = NAMMCO Annual Report 1995 | publisher = NAMMCO | location = Tromsø | pages = 71–127 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| author = North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission| title = Status of Marine Mammals of the North Atlantic: The Atlantic Walrus| url = http://www.nammco.no/webcronize/images/Nammco/654.pdf| archive-url = https://wayback.archive-it.org/0/20071025220623/http://www.nammco.no/webcronize/images/Nammco/654.pdf| url-status = dead| archive-date = 25 October 2007| access-date = 3 October 2007| df = dmy-all}}</ref> In April 2006, the Canadian [[Species at Risk Act]] listed the populations of northwestern Atlantic walrus in [[Québec]], New Brunswick, [[Nova Scotia]], Newfoundland and Labrador as having been eradicated in Canada.<ref>{{cite web | author = Fisheries and Oceans Canada | title = Atlantic Walrus: Northwest Atlantic Population|access-date = 9 October 2007| url = http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/species/species_atlanticwalrus_e.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070818123101/http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/species-especes/species/species_atlanticwalrus_e.asp| archive-date = 18 August 2007}}</ref> A genetically distinct population existed in Iceland that was wiped out after Norse settlement around 1213–1330 AD.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Keighley X, Pálsson S, Einarsson BF, Petersen A, Fernández-Coll M, Jordan P, Olsen MT, Malmquist HJ | display-authors = 6 | title = Disappearance of Icelandic Walruses Coincided with Norse Settlement | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 36 | issue = 12 | pages = 2656–2667 | date = December 2019 | pmid = 31513267 | pmc = 6878957 | doi = 10.1093/molbev/msz196 | url = }}</ref>

An isolated population is restricted, year-round, to the central and western regions of the [[Laptev Sea]], from the eastern [[Kara Sea]] to the westernmost regions of the [[East Siberian Sea]]. The current population of these Laptev walruses has been estimated at between 5-10,000.<ref name=MNRRF>{{cite web | title = Морж / Odobenus rosmarus | work = Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation protected species list | url = http://zapoved.ru/species/262/%D0%9C%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B6 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304104207/http://zapoved.ru/species/262/%D0%9C%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B6 | archive-date = 4 March 2016 | access-date = 4 October 2007 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Even though walruses can dive to depths beyond 500 meters, they spend most of their time in shallow waters (and the nearby ice floes) hunting for [[bivalves]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://arcticwwf.org/species/walrus/|title=Walrus Facts |website= World Wildlife Fund (WWF) }}</ref><ref name="Gar18">{{cite journal | vauthors = Garde E, Jung-Madsen S, Ditlevsen S, Hansen RG, Zinglersen KB, Heide-Jørgensen MP | title = Diving behavior of the Atlantic walrus in high Arctic Greenland and Canada. | journal = Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology | date = March 2018 | volume = 500 | pages = 89–99 | doi = 10.1016/j.jembe.2017.12.009 | bibcode = 2018JEMBE.500...89G }}</ref>

In March 2021, a single walrus, nicknamed [[Wally the Walrus]], was sighted at [[Valentia Island]], [[Ireland]], far south of its typical range, potentially due to having fallen asleep on an iceberg that then drifted south towards Ireland.<ref name="First ever sighting of a walrus in Ireland after it is thought to have drifted across Atlantic after falling asleep on iceberg">{{cite web|title=First ever sighting of a walrus in Ireland after it is thought to have drifted across Atlantic after falling asleep on iceberg|url=https://www.independent.ie/news/first-ever-sighting-of-a-walrus-in-ireland-after-it-is-thought-to-have-drifted-across-atlantic-after-falling-asleep-on-iceberg-40195874.html|website=independent.ie| vauthors = Kelleher L, Palenque BK |date=14 March 2021|access-date=15 March 2021}}</ref> Days later, a walrus, thought to be the same animal, was spotted on the [[Pembrokeshire]] coast, [[Wales]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Walrus spotted in Wales, days after one seen off Ireland|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56470235|website=bbc.co.uk|publisher=BBC News|date=20 March 2021|access-date=4 April 2021}}</ref>
In June 2022, a single walrus was sighted on the shores of the [[Baltic Sea]] - at [[Rügen]] Island, [[Germany]], [[Mielno]], [[Poland]] and [[Skälder Bay]], [[Sweden]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thelocal.de/20220617/walrus-makes-rare-stop-on-german-beach-to-delight-of-locals/ | title=Walrus makes rare stop on German beach to delight of locals | newspaper=The Local Germany | date=17 June 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://notesfrompoland.com/2022/06/24/walrus-spotted-on-baltic-beach-in-first-ever-sighting-in-poland/ | title=Walrus spotted on Baltic beach in first ever sighting in Poland | date=24 June 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://cde.news/photo-story-rare-visit-by-walrus-in-skane-sweden/ | title=Photo Story: Rare visit by Walrus in Skane, Sweden | date=12 June 2022 }}</ref> In July 2022, there was a report of a lost, starving walrus (nicknamed as [[Stena (walrus)|Stena]]) in the coastal waters of the towns of [[Hamina]] and [[Kotka]] in [[Kymenlaakso]], [[Finland]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/news/3-12538568|title=Visiting walrus causes stir in southern Finland town|work=[[Yle News]]|date=July 15, 2022|access-date=July 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nord.news/2022/07/18/the-walrus-destroyed-equipment-worth-more-than-10000-euros-says-a-kotka-fisherman/|title=The walrus destroyed equipment worth more than 10,000 euros, says a Kotka fisherman|work=Nord News|date=July 18, 2022|access-date=July 20, 2022}}</ref> that, despite rescue attempts, died of starvation when the rescuers tried to transport it to the [[Korkeasaari Zoo]] for treatment.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://euroweeklynews.com/2022/07/20/rare-walrus-hamina-finland/|title=UPDATE: Walrus found on the shore in Hamina, Finland has died, causing some outrage|first=Matthew|last=Roscoe|work=[[EuroWeekly News]]|date=July 20, 2022|access-date=July 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-22 |title=Walrus' fate sparks online outrage |url=https://yle.fi/news/3-12546773 |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=[[Yle]] |language=en}}</ref>