The Brief
- An orphaned Pacific walrus calf rescued from a remote Alaska beach is now receiving around-the-clock care at SeaWorld Orlando.
- Wildlife officials determined the calf, named Annautaq, which means “axe” in the Iñupiaq language, could not survive in the wild without his mother’s milk and protection.
- He will eventually join the walrus herd at SeaWorld Orlando.
ORLANDO, Fla. – A young, orphaned Pacific walrus found on a remote beach in northern Alaska has been rescued and brought more than 4,000 miles to Florida, where it’s receiving care at SeaWorld Orlando.
Orphaned Pacific walrus rescued in Alaska
The backstory:
A wildlife research intern found the 5-month-old, 200-pound walrus hiding between two dead walruses on a remote beach in northern Alaska, left behind after its herd likely left the area due to high surf, a news release said.
That intern, Violet Anniskett, named the walrus “Annautaq” after her father’s Iñupiaq name, which means “axe” in their native language, according to SeaWorld Orlando.…