Researchers Build Global Database of Atlantic Walrus Haul-Out Sites
An international team of researchers from Russia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Greenland, Norway, and Australia has compiled data on every known coastal haul-out site used by the Atlantic walrus. The open-access database includes 499 locations spanning the subspecies' range, from the Canadian Arctic to Russia's Arctic seas.
The Atlantic walrus is listed in Russia's Red Book and is classified as Near Threatened. The species faces growing pressure from climate change, shrinking sea ice, and increasing human activity across the Arctic. Specialists from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) contributed to the database.
"The Atlantic walrus is one of the key indicators of the health of Arctic ecosystems, and it does not recognize national borders. Russian haul-out sites are an integral part of its range, and without them it is impossible to obtain a complete picture of the population's status. This database is the result of many years of work by scientists from different countries," said Maria Gavrilo, Lead Researcher at the Arktik-Shelf (Arctic Shelf) Laboratory of AARI.
