Walrus

This summer, researchers managed to collect stunning drone images of both ringed seals and walruses. In one fjord, the St. Jonsfjorden, twelve ringed seals were found spread out throughout the fjord, resting on the fast ice. However, approaching and identifying these individuals is very challenging. Since ringed seals are hunted by polar bears, any mammal—either walking on four or two legs—will be avoided at all costs.

British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and RSPB are recruiting albatross detectives to help to search for wandering albatrosses in satellite images taken from space in an effort to learn more about how these sentinels of the sea are being impacted by climate change, intensive fishing, and invasive species.

Two wild animals that strayed from their ordinary habitats and into close proximity to humans were recently killed in high-profile cases. The life of Freya the walrus was ended by officials in Oslo on August 14 2022, reportedly because the animal posed a threat to humans. Four days earlier, the life of a beluga whale that had strayed into France's Seine River was ended during a failed rescue attempt.

A walrus nicknamed Freya that attracted crowds while basking in the Oslo fjord was euthanised on Sunday, with Norway officials saying it was the only option but experts slamming an "infinitely sad" decision.

The Bering Sea is the most productive ground fishery in the world, particularly for salmon, halibut and shellfish. About half of U.S. fish and shellfish come from that area and the fishing industry is the main driver of jobs in and around the Aleutian Islands. The freezing and melting of sea ice in the area heavily impacts the primary productivity, which is the bottom of the marine food chain.