Last week, wildlife workers rescued a walrus calf near Utqiagvik, Alaska. The lone calf was hungry and thirsty. She needed help.

Rescuers took her to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. That’s about 800 miles away from Utqiagvik. 

Hunters reported that a walrus herd had recently visited the beach area where the calf was. No one knows exactly why the baby became separated from the herd. 

People think the calf is a few weeks old. She’s already about 165 pounds! That’s heavier than some adult humans. 

Walrus calves seek comfort by cuddling with their mothers. So staff members provide round-the-clock attention. Calves stay with their mothers for about two years.

Last year, the center took in a 200-pound male calf. He was miles from the ocean on Alaska’s North Slope. That baby had many health problems and later died. But staff members hope their new patient will do well. She quickly learned to drink from a bottle.

The calf won’t be able to return to the wild. She will get used to humans. “Walruses are so reliant on their moms for the first two years of life. . . . This calf would not have survived much longer without her mom,” explains Animal Care Specialist Halley Werner. “She now has a second chance at life in human care.” At the center, the calf can help visitors learn more about her species.

Walruses are known for their long tusks. These grow during a calf’s first summer or fall. This baby hasn’t gotten hers yet. 

Pacific walruses live in the Bering and Chukchi seas. Females weigh up to one ton. Males can grow to nearly two tons! God gave these massive creatures a thick layer of blubber to stay warm in the Arctic. Learn more about them in Walruses on the Move.