While living in Nome during the early 1990’s, I recall being told by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) personnel that the walrus population was at an all-time high. So naturally it piqued my curiosity when I learned that the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed a petition with the USFWS last week, requesting that the Pacific Walrus be listed as a threatened or endangered species.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (after the polar bear article posted yesterday,) I have read the CBD’s Petition to List the Pacific Walrus as Threatened or Endangered, which seems to confirm that there is currently NO CRISIS with the walrus population. Rather, the document is a compilation of climate change hyperbole complete with their favorite climate models and an admonition that if we don’t curb our greenhouse gas emissions global warming will kill all the walrus.

They even try to short-circuit any discussion by saying, “There is no credible scientific dispute that global warming will continue and may accelerate if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced.” (p 50)

After scanning the document specifically for population information, I found two tables containing walrus census information since 1790: Table 1, (p21); and Table 2, (p24). Plotting the numbers from these tables gives us the minimum population curves shown in the graph on the right (click on the graph for a larger image.)

This is consistent with the textual history provided in the petition:

• a period of decreasing walrus population due to over-hunting before statehood;
• an increase in population following implementation of restrictions on hunting after Alaska’s statehood;
• a rapid increase in population after enactment of the Marine Mammal Act; and
• finally, a decrease in the late 80’s, largely as a result of over-hunting by Alaska Natives using modern methods.

At over 200,000 animals, the walrus population is still at historically high levels. And the population history of the walrus shows they can make a rapid recovery from temporary population declines. Probably the latest population decline (since 1980) points to the need for tighter regulation and stricter enforcement of existing hunting laws under the Marine Mammal Act.

Once again, the Center for Biological Diversity is trying to hoodwink us into believing that a marine mammal is headed for extinction as a result of global warming with no factual basis to support this theory. Then they throw in some of their other pet peeves including oil and gas development, shipping and fishing, again with minimal factual basis to support their opinions regarding the effect of these industries on the walrus.

Alaska’s legitimate, natural resource-based industries can be developed responsibly with sufficient regulation and control to minimize impacts on wildlife. We already have a huge experiment that proves this at Prudhoe Bay. (Yes, the caribou population actually increased during and after pipeline construction.)

Thinking people need to resist these obstructionist efforts to sabotage Alaska’s economy. We need to consider the facts, not media hype and doom and gloom predictions.