Juneau - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) recently installed a web camera at the Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary in the Bering Sea. The camera allows online access to live sights and sounds of summer concentrations of male walruses that haul out on Round Island beaches to rest and digest clams and other marine invertebrates they harvest.

The walrus camera provides much more than entertainment for those watching two ton bulls bellow and jockey for space, it’s an important scientific tool, said Joe Meehan, ADF&G Wildlife Biologist and Walrus Islands project coordinator. Monitoring walrus populations is a difficult and expensive task that requires observers at each remote location. Web cameras may ultimately allow for more accurate and economical walrus counts.

In addition to the walrus cam, ADF&G with the help of volunteers, constructed a set of stairs, repaired and rerouted old trails, and developed new trails to wildlife viewing sites. The stairs and trail work improve the safety of visitors and scientists while reducing impacts on sanctuary tundra vegetation, birds, and walruses. Funding for the stairs and trail improvements were provided through the Alaska State Parks Recreational Trails Grant program, National Park Service’s National Natural Landmark program, and ADF&G.

The online walrus camera project was funded through grants from the Pacific Walrus Conservation Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service.

The live feed is hosted by the Alaska Sealife Center and will be active until September 9, 2005. Visit the walrus cam.

For more information on walrus and visiting Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary.

For information on walrus conservation, research and population estimates, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Marine Mammals Management web site.